Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Celebrity Blockade at the Mutlanger Heide

The Mutlanger Heide is an area in the municipality of Mutlangen in eastern Baden-Württemberg (the West Germany). Due to the NATO double-track decision, medium-range missiles of the United States Army type MGM-31 Pershing were stationed on the site from 1983 to 1990. The nuclear weapons carriers belonged to the 56th Field Artillery Brigade.

When NATO's stationing intentions became known, this triggered violent protests from the peace movement. The opponents of retrofitting protested throughout Germany and formed so-called "peace chains". In Mutlangen, demonstrators repeatedly blocked the access to the US camp.

From September 1 to 3, 1983, as part of the peace movement 's peace camp, sit-ins (also known as rocket blockades) took place in front of the US military base in Mutlanger Heide. Since around 150 well-known personalities took part in the campaign, it is also known as the Celebrity Blockade.

Around 1,000 people protested against the planned stationing of nuclear Pershing II missiles at the sit-down; writers (Nobel Prize winners Heinrich Böll and Günter Grass), artists, women and men of the Church, politicians, doctors, judges and prosecutors, university teachers, and others. 

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