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German History in Documents and Images
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May Day Parade in East Berlin (May 1, 1963)
Beginning in 1951, the GDR celebrated May Day, the most important holiday of the international workers’ movement, with a parade in East Berlin. From 1956 onward, the celebrations opened with a military parade following the Soviet model. This photograph from the 1963 May Day parade shows a division of the National People’s Army (Nationale Volksarmee, NVA) passing in front of the state and party leadership. The sign in the background reads: "Long live the 1st of May." Photo by Horst E. Schulze.