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Sichelschmiede

Workshop for Peace
in the Heathland of Kyritz-Ruppin

The heathland is free!

On July 9, 2009, the German Minister of "Defense", Franz-Josef Jung, declared:

"We have come to the conclusion that the German Army will renounce on the use of Wittstock as an air-ground-training area."

Since 1992, the population in the heathland of Kyritz-Ruppin has been successfully resisting the plans of the German army to establish a bombing range in the area formerly used by the Soviet Army as a Bombodrom. This was not just a regional conflict: the plans of the military were to conduct military training with German, EU and NATO troops and air force. This included training for a special technique used to throw nuclear bombs. (German Tornado jets in Büchel can be supplied with US nuclear bombs stationed in Büchel as well.)

Now, the heathlands of Kyritz-Ruppin have become an encouraging example of how a dedicated nonviolent resistance of many "little people" can be successful.

With our project "Sichelschmiede" ("hook forgery") we have contributed to establishing connectiins between the local resistance and the German and international peace movement. We would liek to say thanks to everybody who has contributed to this success.

So far our website is mostly in German, sorry. But here are some links to places where you can find more information in English:

Information of Bürgerinitiative Freie Heide (free heathlands citizen's initiative) about the region and the local resistance

call for action day 1.6.2007, with good background info on bombodrom and resistance

The "Bombodrom" in Brandenburg - a military base preparing the new wars? by Hans-Peter Richter

The Bombodrom on agenda in Brussels - The Intergroup for Peace Initiatives discussed military bases in Europe By Rainer Rupp, Brussels

Find the Bombodrom with Google map

Upcoming events:

When	What and Where	Who
23. August 2009	Celebration of Bürgerinitiative Freie Heide	Bürgerinitiative FREIe HEIDe
26. August 2009 7.30 pm	Meeting of Friedensinitiative Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide, Neuruppin, Rudolf-Breitscheid-Str. 38	Friedensinitiative Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide
1. September 2009 5.00 pm	Anti War Day commemoration at the Memorial in Kunsterspring	Bürgerinitiative FREIe HEIDe
15. September 2009 7.30 pm	The Berliner Compagnie plays "Die Verteidigung Deutschlands am Hindukusch" Kornspeicher, Neumühle 3, Alt-Ruppin	Bürgerinitiative FREIe HEIDe

No bombs - we go in!

More than 2000 people, many of them living in the vicinity of the Bombodrom, have already signed the following declaration:

If the German Army starts to use the area, we will move onto the site and disturb the exercises with our presence, so that

- injustice from the Stalin era will not be re-defined as just under german law,

- there will be no further preparation of war on the site of the former Bombodrom

- the population in the region will not have to suffer the continuation of 40 years of air warfare exercises

- the environment in the area will not be even more polluted and destroyed

- tax money will be used for productive and social purposes

- the heath of Kyritz-Ruppin will at last be free for civil use

Join us - sign the declaration here!