Vinh City celebrates 50 years since its reconstruction.

Attending the ceremony were members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee: Nguyen Thi Thu Huong - Head of the Provincial Party Propaganda Department; Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Chairperson of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province; and Phan Duc Dong - Secretary of the Vinh City Party Committee.

Also present was Comrade Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Vietnam Urban Planning Association; architect and artist Werner Georges, former German expert in the construction of Vinh city; Professor Christina Schwenkel - Department of Anthropology, University of California, USA, along with members involved in the reconstruction of Vinh city, and a large number of generations of Vinh city residents.

A glorious chapter in history.

Vinh CityOfficially established in 1804, when King Gia Long issued a decree to relocate the provincial capital of Nghe An from Lam Thanh - Phu Thach to Vinh. During the French colonial period, Vinh - Ben Thuy became one of the most bustling industrial, technical, and commercial centers in Central Vietnam.

However, in 1947, with a spirit of self-sacrifice for the country and implementing the scorched-earth policy for resistance, the army and people of Vinh city had to personally destroy almost all urban, economic, and social infrastructure to embark on a protracted resistance war.

After the peace treaty, from 1954 to 1964, Vinh began to be rebuilt, with some industrial, educational, and social infrastructure. In 1963, Vinh city was re-established. However, once again, the achievements of ten years of peacetime reconstruction were completely destroyed by the destructive air and naval bombing campaign of the US imperialists (1964-1972).

If in 1954, when the people of Vinh returned, the entire city was a pile of rubble, then in 1973, when Vinh emerged from the war of destruction, the city was nothing but endless bomb craters. Almost no houses in Vinh remained intact. Everything was desolate and ruined.

But once again, Vinh was revived. With the selfless, sincere, and righteous assistance of the State and people of the German Democratic Republic, the city was rebuilt. On October 22, 1973, the Agreement on the Reconstruction of Vinh City was signed by the governments of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the German Democratic Republic. And immediately, money, machinery, equipment, materials, technology, and especially experts from distant Germany arrived in Vinh.

Besides assisting with the overall urban planning of Vinh City, the German team also helped build, upgrade, and renovate nearly 30 important projects in Vinh and Nghe An. The most important of these was the construction of the Quang Trung apartment complex.

On May 1, 1974, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction Do Muoi, along with the Ambassador of the German Democratic Republic and leaders of Nghe An province, solemnly laid the first bricks to build the Quang Trung area, officially marking the beginning of the post-war reconstruction of Vinh city.

Fifty years after the post-war reconstruction on May 1, 1974 – May 1, 2024, Vinh City today is increasingly modern, vibrant, and has risen to become the economic, cultural, and social center of the region.

Deep friendship

At the ceremony, representatives from the leadership of Nghe An province, Vinh city, the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association of Nghe An province, the Nghe An Architects Association, members of the Vinh Xua group, and a large number of people from Vinh city watched precious and moving footage of the reconstruction of Vinh city over the past 50 years.

The delegates reviewed the post-war reconstruction process of Vinh City. Mr. Bui Nam Giao, 91 years old, a former official of the Nghe An Department of Construction, representing the construction officials who participated in the reconstruction of Vinh City, said: Although the post-war reconstruction process faced many difficulties, with the enthusiastic support of our German friends, Vinh City gradually revived, especially in urban planning, and many structures remain to this day.

Ms. Luong Thi Thanh Hien, representing the residents of Quang Trung apartment complex, shared: "Decades ago, living in the Quang Trung apartment complex was an honor that not every resident of Vinh City had the opportunity to experience. This place holds many memorable moments of Vinh City's history. Now, although the building is gone to make way for new constructions, the memories of the Quang Trung complex will forever remain in the hearts of the people of Vinh."

Speaking of the reconstruction of Vinh city at that time, we must mention the expert friends from distant Germany. The German Democratic Republic sent 215 experts to Vinh city to work alongside us in the reconstruction effort.

Architect and artist Werner Georges, one of the members involved in the reconstruction of Vinh city, said: “When I first arrived in Vinh, the city was still desolate and ruined. However, the people of Vinh were always warm-hearted and hospitable. Despite being from two different countries and speaking different languages, everyone worked together and helped each other during the reconstruction of Vinh. Returning after 50 years, seeing Vinh become increasingly modern makes me very happy and emotional…”

Professor Christina Schwenkel, from the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, USA, author of the book "Socialist Housing," shared her research on the Quang Trung apartment complex: "Vinh City and the Quang Trung area are where I worked nearly 50 years ago; this land is a part of my memories. On this occasion, as an American citizen, I would like to apologize to Vinh City in particular and the Vietnamese people in general for the devastation of the past war. Now, Vinh City is becoming increasingly modern and prosperous, and we are very happy and will always stand alongside the city in its development."

On behalf of Nghe An province, Ms. Vo Thi Minh Sinh, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province, sincerely thanked the international friends, especially the group of experts who participated in the historical reconstruction of Vinh city to create the Vinh city we see today.

Comrade Vo Thi Minh Sinh also acknowledged and commended the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association of Nghe An province, the Architects Association of Nghe An province, and the Vinh Xua group for their collaboration in creating a meaningful, touching, and deeply friendly program that will be etched in the memories of the people of Vinh city. This diplomatic activity also contributes to helping international friends understand that Vinh is a city rich in compassion and gratitude.

Comrade Vo Thi Minh Sinh also expressed her hope that these events would spread widely, especially among the younger generation of Vinh City, further enhancing their love for their homeland and city, and thereby contributing to building an increasingly prosperous Vinh City in the future.