Oct 03, 2021
German Unity Day 2021
This Doodle’s Key Themes
On this day in 1990, East and West Germany reunited as one state, a historic turning point in the nation’s history known in German as die Wende. Today’s Doodle honors German Unity Day or Tag der Deutschen Einheit, a national holiday that celebrates German culture and over 30 years of unification. The Gruenes Band (Green Band), a symbol of togetherness, is illustrated in the Doodle. This former border between east and west has been rehabilitated into 1,400 kilometers of protected greenspace.
The renewal of the Gruenes Band started in late 1989. Through public and private partnerships, a once inaccessible stretch of terrain has turned into a biodiverse landscape with animal habitats and vegetation flourishing. Home to rare orchids like Lady’s Slipper and birds like the Kingfisher, the Gruenes Band preserves this unique geography for generations.
Although the observances of Unity Day are scaled-down across the country, this year’s host city of the outdoor exposition, Unity Expo 2021 is Halle (Saale), and German culture is on display in a big way. Shipping container-sized glass boxes, each representative of a different region or aspect of German culture, give visitors a window into both history and the future with exhibitions about projects ranging from sustainability to digitization. Regional food and music performances top off the week.
Happy Unity Day, Germany!
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