A Protest Takes Shape

BERLIN (DW) -- For a place that’s supposed to be organizing the biggest anti-war demonstration Germany has seen in the last 20 years, the office of the February 15 coalition for peace in Berlin is surprisingly small.

Housed in the German Trade Union Confederation building just off Kurfürstendamm, west Berlin's upscale shopping boulevard, February 15's headquarters consists of just one tiny office outfitted with two computers against a wall and a small conference table littered with papers, fliers, stickers, buttons, tea cups, remnants of cake and two telephones that ring endlessly.

The world's largest anti-war rally

The people in these cramped quarters have a big task on their minds: They are putting together the German contribution to the European uprising against President George W. Bush and his potential war against Iraq. In all, rallies will held in 25 European cities on Saturday. It is being billed as the world's largest anti-war demonstration.

In Berlin, a fresh-faced youth is hunched over one of the office's two computers. He flashes a smile as 62-year-old Hans Peter Richter, a pacifist and one of the organizers of Saturday's protest in Berlin, smoothes back his snowy white hair, takes a sip of tea and talks about the big day ahead.

"We estimate about 150,000 people will turn up in Berlin, hundreds of buses and special trains will be bringing demonstrators from all over Germany," says Richter, a man with a full white beard, gentle eyes and a quiet, but firm voice. "It will be the biggest demonstration in Germany in the past 20 years."

"It’s a historic moment because, for the first time in history, we have the chance to stop the war before it really begins," he says, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

Better coordination, bigger demos

Networking seems to be the key phrase here as a look at the bewildering variety of organizations involved in the protest in Berlin shows. Some 42 organizations ranging from peace groups, trade unions and environmental groups to church organizations, human rights and refugee groups have grouped together under the umbrella Coalition for Peace Feb. 15. Richter says the groups are mainly responsible for organization and fund raising. Feb 15. estimates that together, they need to come up with about €40,000 ($43,276) for the event.

As the man in charge of event logistics, Richter has his plate full. He's responsible for everything from answering e-mails, ordering posters, banners, buttons, stickers, organizing a media offensive to chartering special buses for protesters arriving from other cities to organizing a stage for speakers, musicians and pop groups. More than 20 people are working with him in the countdown to Saturday.

It's an ambitious agenda, and Richter is worried the money raised won't be enough to cover the event. "We’re planning to put up a huge screen at the Brandenburg Gate that will broadcast live peace demonstrations in other European cities. That alone costs €13,000 and we still haven’t come up with the money for it," he says, biting his nail.

Strength in numbers

Twenty-two-year-old Jan Sievers, another peace worker and member of anti-globalization group Attac, agrees that organizing the demonstration is hard work.

"I wanted to be out of here by 1 p.m. today," he exclaims as loud church bells serve as a reminder that it's already 5 p.m. "I have to prepare for an exam at the university."

Sievers, who enthusiastically organized protests and banners for the group Axis of Peace during Bush’s visit to Berlin last summer, is designing the Feb. 15 Web site. He thinks the sheer strength of Saturday's protest will be a crucial factor for determining its success. "Unfortunately, the media will only cover it if tons of people turn out," he says.

Sievers is also impressed about how well-organized and coordinated peace movements in general have turned. "It’s no coincidence that we are organizing peace demos in Europe for the first time on the same day. We now have huge mailing lists, telephone contacts and the like that enables us to network with similar groups all over the world," he says.

But for all the talk of the improved coordination and networking, there are still limitations. Sievers, a software engineering student, is a bit disappointed with the technical means at their disposal to pull of such a huge event. "We just have two computers here. "

Richter, for his part, is optimistic.

"If I didn’t think that such a huge demo wouldn’t help avert a war, I would not do it," Richter says. "I really believe we have a chance to stop the war before it even begins and I’m convinced that people do have the power to change things."

Two peace marches are scheduled to kick off on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 12 p.m. in Berlin -- one from Alexanderplatz in east Berlin and the other from Breitscheidplatz in west Berlin. A final rally will be held near the Brandenburg Gate between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.