Germany debates renaming of streets honouring GDR and Soviet leaders

Thirty-five years after German reunification, several towns in eastern Germany continue to bear street names honouring figures from the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Soviet Union — including Lenin, Otto Grotewohl, and Wilhelm Pieck. The Federal Commissioner for the Victims of the SED Dictatorship, Evelyn Zupke, is calling for a decisive change.

Speaking to BILD, Zupke said that streets named after Lenin or former SED chiefs were incompatible with democratic values: “A street name is an expression of recognition by our democratic society. These individuals, however, stand for the suffering of thousands of victims.”

Despite the fall of the GDR, more than a dozen “Lenin Streets” remain in eastern Germany, including in Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Lenin’s regime, historians note, was marked by widespread violence and terror, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands. Yet many municipalities have shown no willingness to rename the streets. A spokesperson for the city of Nauen confirmed that there have been no discussions about changing its Lenin Street, and that only the city council can take such a decision.

Zupke argues that local leaders must take greater responsibility. She urges mayors to critically reassess streets that still commemorate socialist leaders, suggesting they instead honour individuals who resisted the GDR regime: “In the 35th year of German unity, such a change would send the right signal.”

The town of Weißenfels-Borau in Saxony-Anhalt still has several GDR-era names, including Lenin Street, the Street of German-Soviet Friendship, and Wilhelm-Pieck-Street. A city spokeswoman said Mayor Martin Papke would support renaming them, but emphasised that the will of local residents would be decisive.

Elsewhere, efforts to revise historically charged street names have sparked political conflict. In Jerichow, Saxony-Anhalt, plans to remove around 40 duplicated or ideologically burdened names — including Lenin Street, Wilhelm-Pieck-Street, and Thälmann Street — led to an unexpected backlash from the AfD. The party’s local parliamentary leader launched a citizens’ petition to block the changes, despite having previously supported them in the city council.

The dispute escalated to the Higher Administrative Court, which ultimately cleared the way for the renaming. The new street names are expected to take effect on 26 January.

By Vugar Khalilov