By bike to Vienna: Memorial tour for peace starts in Wismar!

By bike to Vienna: Memorial tour for peace starts in Wismar!

A very special bike tour is imminent: On June 27, 2025, the memorial bike tour from Wismar to Vienna, which is part of the work of the Second World War and the United Nations. On the occasion of the end of the Second World War on May 8, 1945 and the UN foundation on June 26, 1945, this tour will set a strong sign of peace and cohesion. At a ceremonial start on the campus of the Wismar University of Applied Sciences, the tour is celebrated as part of the summer festival of the children's university, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

The tour is led by five men, including the GDR wheel sports legend Täve Schur, which takes part in the tour in Magdeburg. The initiator of the campaign is Jörg Türmer, who said: "We want to set a sign against forgetting." This is done in the form of an approximately 500 -kilometer route that runs along the former demarcation line, where in May 1945 the western Allies met the Soviet Red Army.

from Wismar to Vienna

The cyclists will visit various monuments, memorial sites and historical places on the way that are part of the culture of memory in World War II. A total of 80 "Points of Interest" (POIS) are documented digitally in order to make historical relationships tangible even future generations. The group consists of members of cities such as Lübeck, Rehna and Schwerin and will cover the route in several stages. The first stage leads from Wismar with a stopover at the memorial in Trebbow to Schwerin.

A highlight of the tour is the reception in Vienna, which is planned together with the children's university and the United Nations. This reception is accompanied by a public bicycle demonstration in which over 50 participants have already promised their participation. On the website www.biketheline.de can register interested parties and receive information about the event.

significant memory work

The memorial bike tour fits into a larger context of memory work. The Franco-German youth work (DFJW) supported numerous commemorative celebrations this year, such as the 80th anniversary of landing in Normandy. Such projects reaffirm the importance, historical events and their effects on the present and future again and again. Memory work and peace education are therefore of central importance in order to convey a deep understanding of orientation and peace to the following generations.

For cyclists, participation is not only a sporting contribution, but also an active commitment to commemorating and the future. The tour is accompanied by a video partner who will record the experiences and messages of the participants. This not only promotes memory, but also the exchange between the generations and cultures.

The organizers are already looking for at least 80 cyclists who support the memory bike tour. "It is important to us that many people join and actively participate in the memory and to promote peace," says Türmer. The entire campaign not only promises sporting moments, but also unforgettable encounters and a deeper examination of our history.