Those seeds were a good-bye-pressie and the flowers turned out beautiful.
All my life did I stop and look at poppies.
Yes. I did. Without knowing.
School: WWII. WWII. WWII. That man from Austria over and over and over again.
Yes. Egypt... shortly... GDR... even shorter.
You get the picture.
My Mum is not German and my Father´s Dad was no soldier - he was the only watchmaker in town.
Once I was accused of the Holocaust.
I stayed as calm as I could, came up with facts, but my hands were shaking under the table.
Not kidding.
In so many blogs/FB-shares I saw poppies and people dedicating, remembering, still maybe suffering. But mostly looking up to those who stood up and fought in the war.
And here I sit.
Right ear still swooshing along because I used a "gun" in the wrong way.
Because... that would be a different story, but you can try and ask - in German! - Angela Merkel about it.
Why.
Why do Germans not join.
Why don´t "we" put up poppies everywhere now?
Weather-wise it could be inside.
All we... and I am "excited" to see what my Nieces will learn at school when it comes to "history"... all we learned was WWII and that it is "our fault".
When I was 14 years old we all pupils had to walk to a central place in town and say:
"I am sorry for what I did to the Jewish people".
What did I do??????
You should never, ever, ever forget what "the Germans" did, twice even and Hit#er was "German citizen" just because of this town, which hurts even more.
But what do the ... there were and are sooo many bad(der?) things in the past and right now.
I see those poppies and wonder.
Why do we not join? On one hand you get "it" in the face every day but on the other... you deny.
Please note: I am "glad" I am only half-German!
But it hurts fully.
Am I allowed to write this???
11 comments:
How awful that the young school kids were made to apologize! They weren't involved. I find it's important we all learn about history and the facts, but it's not the fault of today's (German) generation that the wars happened so I don't think anyone should feel guilty about it Iris.
Yes, you are allowed to write that.
There were many atrocious things done by the German government during World War II and it is important we know those things as examples for the future. (Even now I see many in our country slipping into the mindset of extreme nationalism in its worst definition and it is scary.) And many of the people were pulled along -- but not necessarily because they believed in it; but because it was too dangerous to resist. I am sad that you -- a generation away -- had to "pay" for the actions long before. This is powerfully sad.
Thank you two.
And yes, it is scary when it comes back - even more if people do not know what they talk about, which in these politics in Germany is often the case...
You certainly are allowed to ask that and say that.
I do think, when it comes to these commemorations, that it has to feel awkward from the point of view of the country that was on the other side. And the current generation should not be held accountable for the past.
A watch maker how interesting.
Coffee is on
Thank you, William.
It is all so sad and... oh, well.
Dora, yes, time is important!
The important thing is to not forget what happened. Placing blame on people not involved is sad.
A poignant post. Glad you wrote it. A form of catharsis.
Lois, no, never to be forgotten. Sadly also never to be understood. I sure have seen too many pictures.
Magiceye, you are right. It just had to get off my soul. Thank you for understanding.
Oh Iris you have to stop beating yourself up about things that were nothing to do with your generation and out of your control. There are always going to be idiots that have to find somewhere to lay the blame. I know it must be easier said than done but somehow you have to let those remarks go over your head. Find that peaceful spot in your heart and go there xox
Oh, Grace, you ARE right.
But when all your life your face is ditched in.... it´s hard!
I kid you not, chances are say... 40/60 % you get that ugly Austrian guy on TV if you choose a docu-channel.
But you are right.
I´m off looking for that spot in my heart :-) xox
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