Petition has more than 10,000 signatures: Leipzig peace initiative calls for a fundamental debate on the arms industry

Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar: Zum deutschen Artikel.

More than 10,000 people have now signed the petition, launched on 1 September, entitled ‘The City of the Peaceful Revolution must not become a city of weapons!’. The petition has now been submitted to Leipzig City Council and the Saxon State Parliament, according to the peace initiative “Leipzig bleibt friedlich!”, which organised the petition. It is supported by the Swords to Ploughshares Alliance, a coalition of eleven peace initiatives in the region.

The founding members of the alliance include, amongst others, Harald Bretschneider, one of the pioneers of the church-based peace movement in the GDR and the originator of the ‘Swords to Ploughshares’ symbol, the former Saxon Minister of the Interior, Horst Rasch, and Dr Gerhard Gey, long-serving district administrator of the Mulden Valley and Leipzig districts.

The petition was prompted by the establishment of the US-Israeli defence contractor Covenant in Leipzig. The company plans to manufacture long-range ‘Anthem’ cruise missiles here from 2027. According to the company, around 1,000 missiles are to be produced in the first year, with an annual production target of 5,000 units set for 2028. Leipzig is set to become the company’s largest site worldwide.

Who actually decides?

However, the demands of the petition go far beyond this single corporate investment. At the heart of the matter is the fundamental question of whether Leipzig should develop into a major hub for the arms industry and military logistics – and who decides on such a development.

The initiative contrasts this development with the concept of ‘Leipzig: a place of world peace’, which aims to combine the city’s historical significance with economic innovation, a peace economy and international cooperation.

‘More than 10,000 signatures send a signal that cannot be ignored. Decisions on the future of our city and region regarding such fundamental issues must not be made behind closed doors. Politicians must take these voices seriously,” explains Dr Lutz Mükke, chair of “Leipzig bleibt friedlich!” and spokesperson for the Swords to Ploughshares Alliance.

Transparency and democratic participation instead of decisions behind closed doors

The “Leipzig bleibt friedlich” initiative
criticises the fact that Covenant’s establishment was pushed through with political support at local, state and federal levels without first allowing for a broad public debate on the long-term consequences for Leipzig and the region. The initiative therefore calls for:

1. Full transparency regarding existing and planned establishments of defence companies, military infrastructure projects and the public funding they receive.

2. A public debate on fundamental principles, with substantial public participation, concerning the economic, social and security policy development of Leipzig and the region.

3. A moratorium on further political commitments in favour of new defence industry settlements until this debate has taken place and civilian economic alternatives have been seriously examined.

“Covenant is just the tip of the iceberg. Other defence companies are interested in Leipzig and Central Germany. At federal, state and local levels, strategic decisions are being made to expand the Central German defence cluster. Do we really want to become ever more deeply involved in military production and logistics? Should Leipzig profit from war and rearmament in future?

Or do we have the courage and wisdom to harness the legacy of the Peaceful Revolution to develop economic strength, technological innovation and sustainable jobs? Do we want to serve peace or prepare for war? This debate is long overdue,” says Mükke.

The legacy of 1989 is a political mandate – not a mere decorative chapter in history

For the peace initiative, current developments are fundamentally at odds with Leipzig’s historical identity as the city of the Peaceful Revolution.

“In 1989, East Germans fought for democratic participation and political freedom. The legacy of this revolution is not merely a decorative accessory for political Sunday speeches. It is a mandate for the present. The slogan ‘No violence’ and the symbol ‘swords into ploughshares’ stand for the courage to bring about social change without weapons or bloodshed. They also stand for dialogue between opposing camps. This political approach achieved a success of world-historical significance. Leipzig should continue to be judged by this standard today,” explains Mükke.

The initiative is particularly critical of the Saxon state government’s industrial policy, which explicitly supports the expansion of the arms industry.

“When Saxony’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Dirk Panter, describes the takeover of the long-established Görlitz railway carriage manufacturer by the defence contractor KNDS as a ‘blessing’ and makes the establishment of further defence-related businesses a goal of his economic policy, we consider this to be wrong, dangerous and short-sighted. Saxony needs industrial jobs, innovation and economic prospects.

But we reject the idea of selling arms research, weapons production and remilitarisation as the key to economic hope. The Peaceful Revolution stood for turning swords into ploughshares – not for the reverse.”

Leipzig: A Place of World Peace – Rethinking the Economic Future

The initiative aims to combine Leipzig’s historical significance as the city of the Peaceful Revolution with a forward-looking economic and social development strategy. To this end, it has developed the concept of ‘Leipzig: A Global Centre for Peace’. The aim is to develop Leipzig into an internationally recognised centre for the peace economy, civil technological innovation, conflict prevention and international cooperation.

A key project is the establishment of a leading international trade fair for the peace economy. It is intended to bring together businesses, research institutions, civil society organisations and political actors who are developing economically viable solutions for a more peaceful, sustainable and secure world. This is explicitly not just about appeals for peace, but about concrete economic prospects: new markets, innovative technologies, international cooperation and skilled jobs.

‘Leipzig should not merely showcase what already exists. It should be the place where the foundations for tomorrow’s peace are laid. We do not want to manage our city’s historical heritage as if it were a museum piece, but rather to translate it productively into the future. The peace economy is not a romantic alternative to industrial policy. It is the aspiration to integrate economic value creation, innovation and social responsibility,” explains Mükke.

Peace initiative has been campaigning against militarisation for years

“Leipzig bleibt friedlich!” was founded in 2019 and has since been campaigning for peace, diplomacy, disarmament and the preservation of the civil society heritage of the Peaceful Revolution. As early as 2020, the initiative launched a petition, numerous discussions and public campaigns at federal, state and local levels against the increasing military use of Leipzig/Halle Airport and the planned construction of a military helicopter centre by Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky.

Ultimately, the project was not realised at the Leipzig/Halle site. Today’s petition builds on this long-standing commitment, whilst also explicitly focusing on the economic and social future of the entire region.

City of Leipzig confirms receipt – joint deliberation planned

The City of Leipzig officially confirmed receipt of the petition on 23 October 2026 (reference number VIII/2026/337). As the Petitions Committee has announced, several petitions expressing different positions on the establishment of the defence industry facility will be dealt with in a joint procedure. A corresponding document (VIII-P-03601) is already available. The city administration will draw up an administrative position on the matter. A joint consultation with related City Council motions is planned.

“We welcome the fact that the city is addressing the various positions. However, it is crucial that this leads to a serious public debate on the principles involved. Discussion in political bodies alone is no substitute for public participation. More than 10,000 people have made it clear that they want to have a say in Leipzig’s future. The submission of the petition is therefore not the end of the matter,” explains Mükke.

In particular, the initiative is awaiting concrete answers as to which further defence-related developments and expansions are planned or in the pipeline in Leipzig and the region, what political commitments have already been made, and what role public funding plays.

The petition “The City of the Peaceful Revolution must not become a city of weapons!” remains open to supporters and can be found here.