Peace activists began holding annual peace protests across Germany against the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, military buildup and conscription.

The Peace Cooperative Network, which coordinates the traditional Easter marches, said it was ‘cautiously optimistic’ that participation could exceed last year’s turnout of 40,000 people.

In the western city of Gronau, around 150 demonstrators gathered outside the uranium enrichment plant on Good Friday, organisers said. Rallies were also held in several other cities, including Chemnitz, Biberach and Gütersloh.

The first protests took place on Thursday in Erfurt, Jena, Königs Wusterhausen, and Regensburg.

Thousands of people are expected to take part in the more than 120 events planned throughout the Easter long weekend. Saturday, the main day of action, will see marches in Duisburg, Bonn, Bremen, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart.

The peace movement is urging the German government to push for diplomatic solutions to end ongoing conflicts and boost support for people affected by war, among other demands.

The gatherings are organised locally by trade unions, left-wing, Christian and peace groups.

Over 100 events are planned across Germany this year, said Friedenskooperative, a network of the German Peace Movement.

The marches this year are being held in the shadow of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Many alter Easter holiday plans

Many Germans are altering their travel plans for Easter and the months ahead due to conflicts and crises, according to a survey published on Saturday.

The survey, conducted by the German Institute for Tourism Research, found that 16% of the 1,124 people polled between March 25 and 30 had changed their plans for the next three months due to geopolitical crises.

“Going on holiday is not unpolitical,” Julian Reif, the head of the institute, said, adding that political conditions in the destination were a major component of holiday decisions.

Still, 72% of Germans are planning to travel on holiday, whether at home or abroad, in the April-June period.

Within the country, Bavaria is a popular destination, while Spain and Italy lead the rankings for foreign travel.

DW