Alberts film pictures tell the story of a "happy half day" in downtown Halle (S.). People from all background and of all ages took to the streets and joint the protests.  

The jubilant demonstrators showed courage. Their chants demanded the end of communist rule in East Germany. They dared to publicly protest. 

On one of my favorite pictures from the film young people applaud the camera team. Young women and men smile at the camera. They seem to enjoy moments of joy and hope for the future. 

Not long after, these gatherings and protests will be axed down by military force of Soviet tanks. The hope was not meant to last long. 

This exact picture did survive in "top secret" files of the communist security forces ("Stasi"), because police used the picture to identify and potentially arrest the persons within the picture. 

What exactly happened to the depicted teens or students is unknown. What we know is that tens of thousands of innocent people disappeared in communist jail. Incredible repressive orders and mass-arrests followed in the coming months of 1953. 

The cameraman was sentenced to three years behind bars. Already on June 18th 1953 he was thrown in a basement cell at Red Ox prison. 

The security forces were ordered to ensure that another public unrest could not happen again. The communist repressions were successful for 36 years. In 1989 even more powerful, peaceful protests brought the Wall down and changed the world again. 

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Here link to novel "Alberts Bilder bleiben".

Here some original pictures from Albert Ammers.