Germany's Easter marches for peace

So reads the banner held up by these marchers in southwest Germany. The protests over the Easter weekend take place all across Germany, but actually have their roots in a British anti-nuclear march that took place over Easter time in 1958. The trend spread to West Germany in the 1960s — and stuck. Now, they are a yearly occurrence for those advocating peace and nuclear nonproliferation.

Demonstrations in around 100 German cities have been planned for Easter weekend 2018. The marches can last through Easter Monday, which is a holiday in Germany. Peace, demilitarization, a ban on weapons export and nuclear disarmament are all common calls. Some are more specific in their messages, such as this protester in Berlin. According to activists, some 2,000 marched in the German capital.

These Easter marchers in Gronau, on the border with Belgium, have used costumes to get their message across during the day's procession. In the 1980s, the number of participants was as high as 300,000. Then, protesters focused on the nuclear tension of the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union. Today, they hone in on contemporary politicians and policies.

The 2018 rallying cry for marchers in Munich had a traditional tone: less militarization, no more nuclear weapons. The organizers in the Bavarian capital also criticized Germany for providing weapons to countries where systematic human rights abuse takes place. The Saturday march began with a church service before winding its way throughout the center of the city.

The Easter marches are an event for people of all ages, as this young attendee at the Duisburg march illustrates. The city in the heart of Germany's Rhine-Ruhr industrial region saw hundreds gather to protest for peace. Politicians from some of Germany's political parties also attend or speak at the marches. The day's celebrations are colorful affairs.

The northern German maritime city had nearly twice as many marchers in 2018 as it did in 2017, according to march organizers. They estimated that around 1,000 people took to the streets, though police said turnout only hit some 300. At any rate, the marchers brightened the gray day with rainbow peace flags.