Nikolaikirche, Leipzig

These photos show the interior of the Nickolaikirche in  Leipzig.  It has changed since Bach's days, but he walked the floors and filled the church with music.  Many of Bach's most famous compositions were first performed here including the St Mathew and St John Passions.   In the early eighties the "Prayers for Peace Decades" started here,  the beginning of the movement for change in the DDR.  All people, religious and non religious  who wanted peace and freedom gathered regularly to light candles and  to ask peacefully for change.  The windows were decorated with flowers and candles lit.  The Government did all it could to prevent the meetings, and on 9th October 1989 they filled the church with SED Members and Stasi Personnel. 

These people too came to realise that change was needed  and 2,000 people in the church were joined by 10,000 waiting outside with candles in both hands.  The movement for peaceful change had reached its peak and eventually led to the collapse of the DDR and the reunification of Germany in 1990.