The bronze plaque of the former Käthe Kollwitz School (now a charity organization) is engraved with the words "Here, on July 29th, Vietnamese children living and studying at Käthe Kollwitz Heim welcomed President Ho Chi Minh.” (Photo: VNA)
In an interview with the German News Agency before the visit, President Ho Chi Minh said his visit to Germany, together with a number of other foreign countries, aimed at strengthening the friendship between the Vietnamese people and their brother countries, as well as promoting cooperation among brother parties.
Regarding the relationship between Germany and Vietnam, Uncle Ho assessed that the bilateral relationship developed very successfully, and the visit was to further strengthen and develop the friendly relationship between the two countries.
After the flight carrying Uncle Ho landed at Schönefeld Airport in Berlin at 11:30 am on July 25th, 1957, Uncle Ho and the senior Vietnamese delegation attended many activities, including close contacts and visit to people, soldiers and workers in Germany. The declaration on the visit said that during Uncle Ho’s visit to Germany, he was welcomed by President Wilhelm Pieck and National Assembly Chairman Johannes Dieckmann. In a speech to welcome President Ho Chi Minh, National Assembly Chairman Dieckmann affirmed that his visit was the culmination of the development of friendly relations between the two countries, and that despite thousands of kilometers distance, the two country felt very close to each other. The closeness was based on a common concern, which was to ensure world peace and build socialism in each country. In response, President Ho Chi Minh expressed his sincere thanks for the affection and support that Germany gave to Vietnam. He emphasized that the cause of Vietnam's struggle would continue with many difficulties, but the fight for justice would surely win.
During his visit to Germany, he visited many cities, companies, and cultural and scientific organizations to better understand the socialist structure, as well as the development issues in Germany. Everywhere he went, he was well received by the warmth of German people. The visit became a very impressive symbol for the friendship between the two nations, according to the declaration.
Among his footprints in Berlin is the Tierpark Zoo, where he visited the day before the end of his visit to Germany and when he returned to Vietnam, he sent a baby elephant, Kosko, to the zoo. It also included the Stralsund shipbuilding workshop on Riems Island, where Uncle Ho boarded a German Navy ship to visit the Baltic Sea and took photos with the young sailors.
One of the locations that Uncle Ho expected to visit was Moritzburg, Sachsen state, where Vietnamese students were sent to study. The visit took place on July 29th at Käthe Kollwitz school, where 350 outstanding students aged 9-15 were sent to study in Germany in 1955. Talking to the students, he advised them to study hard to become useful people in the future, and to help build the country. After Uncle Ho's visit, the school put aside a space as a campus to keep Uncle Ho's visit’s memory. The bronze plaque of the former Käthe Kollwitz School (now a charity organization) engraved the words "Here, on July 29th, Vietnamese children living and studying at Käthe Kollwitz Heim welcomed President Ho Chi Minh.”
In Germany's archives, there remain many precious photos about President Ho Chi Minh when he walked to visit the Dresden ancient city.
Uncle Ho's visit to Germany 63 years ago was not only the foundation for the good relations between Germany and Vietnam today, but also the pride and emotion of so many generations of Vietnamese people./.