Postcards from Berlin

Oct. 3, 1990, was a day that shaped Germany’s and Europe’s future like few others. On that day, a country that had been divided for four decades was reunified. A deep wound began to heal after years in which families had been separated by the iron curtain, separating Germany in East and West, and symbolized more than anything else by the Berlin Wall, which had fallen in November 1989.

The message of Oct. 3 – now Germany’s National Day – today is more relevant than ever. It was the people who, through peaceful protest, triggered the fall of the Berlin Wall and paved the way for German reunification. In the weeks before the Wall came down, people in East Germany gathered in peaceful protest despite intimidation by the communist regime of the “German Democratic Republic.” Their clear commitment to democracy, self-determination and freedom shaped not only Germany’s and Europe’s future, but also helped to end the dictatorship of the communist party. The central lesson of Oct. 3 and of German reunification is this: it was the people’s indomitable strive for freedom and democracy that changed the country for the better. History did not simply unfold – it was made by the people.

In a world where “might makes right” seems to be increasingly becoming the new normal, we urgently need messages like that of Oct. 3. We can choose democracy over strongman politics. We can choose the rule of law over the idea that power determines what is right. We can choose peaceful protest and public debate over social division. This choice cannot be imposed by governments alone. It must be supported and sustained by a strong civil society – the foundation of every resilient democracy.

This is why the role of civil society is becoming more important in our bilateral relations, not less. The cooperation between Germany and the Philippines extends beyond politics and builds also on those close exchanges between our civil societies. Through its cultural programming, Germany’s Goethe-Institut works closely with leading Filipino artists, filmmakers and civil society voices, creating spaces for dialogue, critical reflection and exchange. The German government supports people-to-people ties through academic exchange, professional cooperation, cultural initiatives and partnerships with civil society organizations. Through this we aim at broadening networks and ensuring that more voices can be heard in public debate.

In the same spirit, the five German political foundations represented in the Philippines – the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung, Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung and the Rosa-Luxemburg Stiftung – contribute to democratic resilience by working with civil society, supporting young leaders and promoting informed public debate. Their work also helps strengthen societal resilience against disinformation and other forms of malign influence. In addition, the Federal Foreign Office supports visitor and thematic travel programs that bring young leaders, journalists and other multipliers from the ASEAN region, including the Philippines, to Germany for direct exchange with German counterparts in their respective fields.

All these initiatives show that our societies not only share key convictions, but also face common challenges. Multi-dimensional tensions in the Middle East and Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine now in its fifth year clearly demonstrate that peace cannot be taken for granted. Established international norms and rules are under growing pressure – in Europe, in the Indo-Pacific, globally.

At a time when both Germany and the Philippines are navigating profound challenges, civil society remains an indispensable pillar of democratic resilience. It is civil society that helps societies withstand disinformation, resist polarization and respond to pressures that seek to erode democratic institutions from within. German Unity Day on Oct. 3 is a reminder that democracy and freedom are never simply granted from above, but must be claimed and defended by citizens. If democracies are to prevail over authoritarianism, and if the rule of law is to hold against the logic of power, partnerships such as the one between Germany and the Philippines will matter more than ever.

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Dr. Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke is the German ambassador to the Philippines.