A tree of peace at Dessau with Dieter Hallervorden
We are planning to plant a peace tree in Dessau, also as a memorial to the founder of our association, Hans Goedecke. As a child, he experienced the horrific bombing raids on the city firsthand and, even decades later, was still shocked by the images of death and destruction that were indelibly etched in his memory. He was all the more pleased that the city of Halle (Saale), where he had found a new home for many years, had been largely spared this fate. Because of his very clear statements in favor of peace, we wished to plant the tree together with the actor Dieter Hallervorden, who also comes from Dessau and experienced the war as a child. Today, we had our first meeting with Mr. Hallervorden, during which we jointly identified a possible location for the peace tree.
The open space between the remaining wing of the city palace and Ludwigshafener Straße is a suitable location for the tree. Furthermore, its location would be within sight of the Central German Theater, run by Dieter Hallervorden. Given the madness that repeatedly occurs in the world, continuous action is of great importance. We want to send a united message in Dessau. Currently, we are working on concrete preparations in coordination with the relevant city authorities. The planting itself is planned for this autumn.
Bells of Peace of Halle
ATTENTION: As every year, we will gather again this coming Sunday, April 19th, at 10:30 a.m. in the market square of Halle to listen to the ringing of the church bells at 10:55 a.m., for it was at precisely this time that World War II ended in our city. And Halle, unlike many other cities, was not completely destroyed. Join us!
This year, the mayor of Lidice and her entourage have announced their attendance as a special guest, which we are very pleased about and which lends a special significance to the event. As a reminder: after the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, who came from Halle, organizer of the so-called Final Solution (Wannsee Conference) and Deputy Reich Protector, the village of Lidice, located near Prague, was destroyed, most of its inhabitants murdered, and its houses razed to the ground. We therefore appreciate all the more that the highest representative from Lidice, which was rebuilt nearby after the war, is in Halle and seeking contact with the people here.
Luckner Apple has been planted
On October 15, 2025, a Luckner apple tree was planted as a peace tree at our society’s headquarters. It was also presented to members. Many thanks for this!
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Arrivel of the Luckner Appel
Yesterday, a tree arrived that marks the beginning of a new chapter in our “Trees For Peace” project.
It’s an apple tree sent from Bavaria, a variety dedicated to Count Nikolaus von Luckner, our Felix’s great-grandfather. He served in the French Revolution, and in this context, the March of the Army of the Rhine was written in his honor, a piece of music that later became the French national anthem, the Marseillaise.
You can find more information about this >>> HERE <<<.
The aforementioned historical context formed the background for the tree selection.
We have contacted different schools in Halle and the surrounding area and will plant some of the Luckner apples on their grounds.
The final agreement has already been reached with one school, so we can begin planning soon.
We will keep you updated here.
50th Chemiepokal
The anniversary – the 50th Chemiepokal boxing tournament at the Steintor-Varieté in Halle (Saale)
A big shout-out right from the start! German heavyweight boxer Dilvan Yakazan defeated Cuban boxer Duniel Duneas by knockout in the second round. On June 13th and 14th, 2025, approximately 60 boxers from Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Cuba competed for the coveted trophy in their weight classes.
The 50th edition of the Halle tournament was entirely dedicated to the tradition that dates back to 1970 and was once again supported by our Felix Graf von Luckner Society. Boxers like Henry Maske and Vitali Klitschko became famous through their victories in Halle. For the anniversary, we welcomed former boxing greats such as Ulli Kaden, Arthur Abraham, Steven Küchler, Timo Hoffmann, Dominic Bösel, and many more, including legendary trainer Ulli Wegener. In front of a sold-out crowd, the Mayor of Halle (Saale), Dr. Alexander Vogt, made sure to step into the ring and deliver his personal greeting (in several languages) to the boxers, coaches, referees, organizers, and guests.
We’ll see you next year at the 51st Chemiepokal.
Night of the Museums – we are in
Find more information >>> HERE <<<
Opening of the Peace Grove
On April 17, 2025, the Peace Grove was officially opened to the public during a ceremony.
Ceremony at the Peace Grove
We will officially open Halle’s Peace Grove to the public with a small ceremony and would like to express our sincere gratitude for the city’s support.
When and where: Thursday, April 17, 2025 4:00 PM Halle Planetarium, Holzplatz 5, 06110 Halle (Saale)
Admission is free.
Visit at Lidice
A delegation from the Graf Luckner Society – including the entire board – paid a visit to the memorial in Lidice
Deeply touched, we spent time in glorious weather on the lovingly and dignified grounds of the former village near Prague, which was razed to the ground in a Nazi act of revenge following an assassination attempt on Reinhard Heydrich, Deputy Reich Protector in Bohemia and Moravia. Men, women, and 82 children were murdered in the process.
Reinhard Heydrich was born in Halle (Saale) in 1904, which gave the group’s visit a special significance that everyone was aware of.
Impressed by what we experienced in Lidice, we agreed not to limit ourselves to this visit, but to bring the warning emanating from this place to future generations in Halle and spread it from there.