Photo Gallery A Religious War Divides Berlin
Berlin is covered in posters urging Berliners to vote "yes" or "no" in a referendum on whether to introduce a compulsory choice between religion and ethics classes in Berin schools.
The vote is being held on Sunday and could change the way religion and ethics are taught in the capital. Since 2006 ethics classes have been compulsory and religion has been an optional course.
The grass-roots group Pro Reli wants to make pupils choose between the two. This would result in separate faith-based religion classes, divided into Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim.
Pro Reli chairman Christoph Lehmann (left) says that offering the choice beteween religion and ethics amounts to defending the freedom to choose.
Walter Momper (right), a member of the Social Democrats and a former mayor of Berlin, is spearheading the "no" campaign.
Berlin is ruled by a coalition of Social Democrats and the Left Party, both of which are urging a "no" vote. Here the SPD party chairman in Berlin, Michael Mueller, poses in front of a party poster.
Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit of the SPD is opposed to changing the current system.
The Left Party is also urging Berliners to vote "no." Petra Pau, a Left Party lawmaker, says that the Catholic Church is treating the vote like a crusade rather than a referendum.
Pro Reli instigated the referendum by gathering thousands of signatures. The issue is also dividing the city's Muslim population. While some groups want all pupils to be taught ethics together, the Turkish-Islamic Union argues that teaching Islam in schools could combat radicalism.
The Christian churches are backing the Pro Reli campaign. Here Berlin Bishop Wolfgang Huber (left), chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, and Catholic Archbishop of Berlin Georg Sterzinsky, pose with a giant "yes" in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
