Nein, wahrhaftig ist er ein guter Prediger. Es hat mir sehr gut getan ihn zu treffen, ihm zu zuhören und mich darauf zu freuen ihn in Taizé im Sommer 2012 wieder zu treffen. Gestern las er uns aus der Bibel über die Seligpreisung vor (Matthäus 5, 1-12). Er erzählte uns, dass dies eine der Lieblingsstellen von Bruder Roger, dem Gründer von Taizé, [weiterlesen]

Today, the German Embassy of Tel Aviv held the annual memorial service at the German War Cemetery in Nazareth. I arrived at the cemetery and followed the instructions of the friendly guard to enter to the memorial site. When I climbed up the stairs I stopped in the middle: the music ensemble was playing just at the top of the stairs. I peaked over the rim of the wall and saw only a hand-full of people sitting on wooden chairs. A German Military Attaché fixed his eyes onto mine. It was that moment, during which I decided to walk back down and to look at the grave stones. The “Bläserensemble Riesa” was playing “Träumerei” (Robert Schumann). I was standing underneath the memorial site, next to the grave stones of German and Italian women and I was listening to the religious speech of Provost Dr. Uwe Gräbe (Church of the Redeemer Jerusalem). I don´t recall what he said and yet I felt misplaced in just this moment.

I felt confused and detached and lonely. I felt reluctant and uncomfortable.

I waited until the next piece of music played and left the cemetery. While walking away and towards my car I wondered who would remember me, if I once died in Israel. Is it not my duty also to commemorate the Germans who fell here in Palestine and are now buried in Israel? I should not question why they came to fight a war. For sure people question why I work in Israel. Will people say: it is his own fault? Are we all alike – the ones that came to fight at war and us, that came to support the civil society? Sitting in my car, driving towards my home, I thought about how I commemorate.

It is mostly in my silent prayers that I remember my dead family members and friends. I don´t talk with them or their souls. I talk to God and ask him to make sure that they are well. I commemorate them by not forgetting them. Some times I wonder how it would be with them, if they would still be alive, but at most times I plainly think of them.

Sitting here at home, tipping my thoughts, I wonder why I felt confused, detached and lonely. I know I felt reluctant and uncomfortable because I was to late. I did not want to stick out of the crowd and climb up the stairs, walk past the ensemble and blend into a crowd of Military Attachés that I don´t belong to. I felt strongly detached, because I am only weakly connected to war. I thought I don´t belong onto this cemetery between these German and Italian grave stones either. Yes, it is right to remember! – It is important to commemorate, but it is also important to be honest to your self and to those that you are commemorating. I believe that the writing of my thoughts is of greater duty. My thoughts are honest.

The World Scout Bureau explains scouting in its pamphlet “28 million young people are changing the world”:

Scouting is a global force that takes action also at an international level. It is a leading global movement for advocacy [read more]

It was just at the end of my lunch, when a friend of mine came rushing into the bistro, telling us about an incident in southern Israel. Quickly we turned to the television and tried to get detailed news about what had happened. That was not easy. After a phone call to Anica, I decided that the incident was not so bad and returned to my office. I have so many things that have to be done.

But my curiosity drove me to Haaretz.com. There I received the following information:

Five people were killed and dozens were wounded Thursday in a series of terrorist attacks on Israeli targets approximately 20 kilometers north of the southern city of Eilat, close to the border with Egypt. [...] Simultaneously, an anti-tank missile was fired from Egypt on a private vehicle, and several mortar shells were also fired into Israel. [...] According to reports, the terrorists in the car opened fire at the Egged bus, which carried a significant number of soldiers leaving their bases for the weekend. [...] The IDF Spokesman reported that two to four terrorists were killed during the clashes. (source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/five-killed-in-series-of-terrorist-attacks-in-southern-israel-1.379309 date: 18.08.2011, 15:46)

That is terrible! There is no question about that.

What makes me afraid though is the degree of my emotional blunting during my 15-month stay in Israel. At first I took in the message with alertness, then I directly reduced it to “shit happens” and carried on with my daily tasks. At present I am not nervous or afraid. I don’t feel sad, irritated, alarmed, disturbed or hostile. I don’t feel shocked.

But more than five people died; many were injured! I guess the number of dead attackers is not included in the five. They are dead! Their families must be going insane!

I’d prefer to reduce my blunt detachment, at least to a natural level, where being shocked and feeling sorrowful are still normal reactions.

Meine Reisegruppe sprach an den Abenden unserer 2-tägigen Anreise von vielen Differenzen, die sie mit Palästinensischen Pfadfindern hätten. Einige benutzten harte Worte. [...] Ihrer Meinung nach sind alle Palästinenser Muslime. Ihre Meinungsbildung fußt auf dem was ihre Familie und ihr Lebensumfeld möglich machen. Dabei erleben sie täglich Konflikte zwischen Christen und Muslimen. [...] In Taizé realisierte meine Reisegruppe, dass sie eine Arabische Minderheit darstellten. [...] Dann geschah es: zwei Gruppen fanden sich, gepaart durch Sprache und Religion. [weiter lesen]

Leserbrief: “Eine Asymmetrie der Machtverhältnisse” von Dr. Martin Schneller, Botschafter a. D., Zlan,
F.A.Z., 06.08.2011, Nr. 181 / Seite 8.

[...] in der Asymmetrie der Machtverhältnisse zwischen den Konfliktpartnern: hier ein hochgerüstetes, nuklearbewehrtes Israel, ausgestattet mit amerikanischen und europäischen Sicherheitsgarantien, dort ein ungefestigtes Gemeinwesen ohne Souveränität, ohne die Möglichkeit zur Selbstbestimmung, ohne offene Grenzen zur Außenwelt. Dieses Ungleichgewicht kann nur durch ein Eingreifen der internationalen Gemeinschaft [...] [weiterlesen]