Kategorie: Allgemein

Beating the drums for God´s justice

am von German Pastorin AllgemeinHinterlasse einen Kommentar

I couldn’t set my eyes off the drum. Beautifully matured wood was covered with dark, well used leather that was tightened around the sturdy body by thick tightropes. This instrument was beaten by famous hands for God´s justice as disaster struck Germany, Europe and the whole world. It was no one less than Dietrich Bonhoeffer. A prophet, who was amongst a number other theologians. A brave spokesperson of God´s calling, who opposed the Nazi regime and addressed the collective injustice this dictatorship brought over millions of people.

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While Dietrich Bonhoeffer spent a whole school year in New York in 1930/31, he became friendly with Richard and Frances Ern, who where members of Greenville Community Church in Scarsdale. Many a hours he spent with this special family, receiving love and a home away from his German home. After going on a road trip to Mexico with the families Oldsmobile, he brought to them a small drum.

As Rev. Dr. Edward H. Schreur showed this drum on the sunny Wednesday morning, I was struck with awe and admiration. It was within this congregation and the Ern family, Bonhoeffer was nurtured and filled with incredible love to give him the strength to return to Germany and to join the resistance against the Nazi-tyranny. His words and action made him to the most prominent spokesperson for God´s justice as the darkness of antisemitism and brutality was spread over Germany, Europe threatening the whole world. A great prophet in very dark times.

As he gave his life for God´s calling like numerous others, justice made its way and God´s kingdom grew. Bonhoeffer stood in a long tradition of prophets, from Moses, Deborah, Gideon, Elijah and Elisha and so many more, leading to Jesus as the mighty prophet in deed and word (Luke 24:19). Bonhoeffer was very aware of this calling and beat the drum of words and action for God´s justice up to the ultimate price.

Being called into discipleship, we may have to ask ourselves: Where and how do we beat the drum for God´s justice in our broken world as antisemitism, racism, and injustice are on the rise? It is may continuous prayer that you join us in this act of holy resistance beating the drum for God´s justice as we pray daily „thy kingdom come“.

 

Prayer „Beating the drum for God´s justice“

As we daily beat the drum for justice, dear Lord,

fill us with courage

fill us with strength.

As we daily beat the drum for justice, dear Lord,

give us encounters with You and Your Holy word

give us insights in Your plan for us.

As we daily beat the drum for justice, dear Lord,

help us to counter our fear of the price we pay for obedience to Your call

help us lift our feet when we would rather hide.

As we daily beat the drum for justice, dear Lord,

may thy kingdom come.

Amen.

 

 

The New Colossus revised

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Four years ago we chose the US as our new home and left Germany. Our four kids were uprooted, family and friends left behind as we felt drawn to become part of the US as the largest immigrant nation of this world. What brought us here was not fleeing from a high crime rate in our homelands or to seek riches for ourselves, but the spirit of freedom, opportunity and equality we felt drawn to like many others, who are seeking a new life in this multinational  and -ethnic nation.

But the tide is turning quickly as this nation seems to undergo a massive political shift. While Germany learning from its Nazi history tried to become a welcoming nation during the 2015 refugee crisis, the US is closing its borders with its leader tweeting about rising criminality in Germany. If only one might check the facts! The criminality rate has gone down by 9.6 % and Germany is heavily trying to integrate the welcomed refugees.

What has happened to the Great Nation we sought as our new home only four years ago? The history of Germany teaches us wisely: We once had borders closed. Our leaders circulated fake facts. People were demised and humiliated, spat on because of their skin color and religion. Children ripped out of the hands of their parents, separated and traumatised. The Nazi regime orchestrating this and other uncountable evils lead to the greatest disaster of humanity. It is a very dangerous path to go down.

A lament of rewriting Emma Lazarus famous poem is the only thing that can slip from my lips as I look at the Statue of Liberty on the shores of New York.

„Hold back, ancient lands, your worried masses!“ cries she
With bitter thin lips. „Give me your money, your knowledge,
Your small numbers of rich yearning to act free,

The white upper class of your fruitless shore.
Send these, the powerful, richly abundant to me:
I lift my lamp only for them beside the golden door.“

If Miss Liberty would be able to move… the torch in her hand would fall out of her grip as she witnesses the destruction of the great American vision of freedom, opportunity and equality for all. The only thing she can do is silently weep in the captivity of her congealment.

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When Holocaust denial hits home in German Politics

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Heavy traffic plowed through a busy street at 41st Street and Dyer Ave as I tried to find a clean spot to set my feet upon. The sidewalk was covered over and over with pigeon dirt. As I hurried along to get in time to a pastoral visit after Church, I felt like crying as the impossible dance between disgusting dirt expressed how I was feeling in the eye of a rapidly changing political climate in Germany.

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Over night the news broke of unbelievable words spoken out in public. A Holocaust denial par excellence beyond what I could have ever imagined. In a speech addressed to members of the „Young Alternative“ in Thuringia (East Germany), Alexander Gauland, the party leader of the AfD (Alternative for Germany) and party leader of the party in the German Bundestag, said that Hitler and National Socialism were just a „bird dirt“ in 1,000 years of „successful“ German history. (Link)

How could he ever say such words of pure denial? 6 Million Jews were brutally murdered, and 2 Million Roma, Sinti, as well as disabled people and „enemies“ of the system found a brutal death. As a German pastor devoted to seek reconciliation for the crimes my nation committed, it sickens me to hear of this change of the political climate in Germany. And again, as many years ago, mostly those feeling underprivileged, locked out, and neglected turn to the far right and its terrible lies on humanity.

It cannot be expressed enough: EVERY life counts and every life lost through the Holocaust is one life, which can never be brought back again. Leaving behind a hurtful gap of a person, who was created in the image of God.

Shame, anger and fear accompanied every step forward as I made my way to the visit. No, German and international history is covered by the crimes of Hitler and National Socialism. If Gauland describes this as „bird dirt“, he maybe didn’t have in mind, how aggressive it can eat itself through any material being massively toxic. The crimes of Hitler and National Socialism are such huge piles of toxic waste  –  and I have committed large amounts of my involvement to warn about this life denying and dangerous ideology. Maybe Gauland needs a crash course in Holocaust education? I´d be up to challenge him at the Big Apple and shake him up from his Holocaust denial with strong Jewish and Interfaith partners at my side.

We know, where history leads with the infectious ideology of antisemitism. A nightmare, neglecting to see each person as a beautiful image of God – may we wake up from our daydreams as this nightmare is starting to creeping into our reality in Germany, the United States, and around the Globe.

Though I walk through the valley of death

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Voices rose around me. Grieving people from all walks of life spoke in one voice. Jews, Protestants, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Roman Catholics joined in the ancient Psalm 23 and filled the dense air of the meeting room with hope beyond grief.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me besides the still waters.

In the midst of preparations for the high holidays of Pesach and Easter, members of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), Consuls from numerous countries, clergy, and friends had gathered in Midtown Manhattan to show solidarity with the Jewish Community by sharing the grief about the assassination of Mireille Knoll. The French Holocaust survivor had been brutally murdered on March 23rd in her apartment in Paris and is the newest victim of antisemitism.

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The 85-year old, who suffered Parkinson’s disease, was stabbed to death by two Jihadists. A senseless and brutal end to a life that had been ever so burdensome through the suffering of the Holocaust. Mrs. Mireille Knoll had barely escaped with her life as a ten year old in the Rafle du Vélodrome d’Hiver in Paris in July 1942. Thousands of Jewish women, men, and children had been locked into the Vélodrome d’Hiver to be deported to concentration camps in the East. She returned to France after its liberation and married Mr. Knoll, a Auschwitz survivor. The couple was blessed with two sons. But after the nightmares of the Holocaust she had not been granted a peaceful death, but violence and hatred ended a life too quickly.

He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name´s sake.

Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

My heart sank as I spoke the old biblical words, which are my Baptismal verses. Yes, Europe is facing one of the greatest challenges since World War II. Antisemitism, racism, exclusion of those, who are different is on the rise. This senseless and brutal death was its newest expression.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

In their history Jews had to face uncounted enemies. It is like a red thread woven through the countless centuries of the ancient nation. Prosecution, death and murder accompanied their struggle for freedom. In many ways their history and the way they are treated is like a litmus test showing the state of nations and societies. „We have been dealt with like the bird in the cage of a mine. As soon as the bird stopped singing, the miner knew he would need to leave it to safe his life. We are done with being the bird“, David Harris, the AJC Chief Executive Officer, emphasized at the commemoration. What a powerful picture to choose.

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As a Lutheran growing up in the safety of a small, closely knit community in Germany, I never had to suffer abuse or prosecution. I had never been excluded due to skin color, religion, or heritage. I can’t grasp, how terrible it might feel having to endure this generation after generation. Or being forced to grapple with the murder of loved ones. But as a German, bearing the weight of my ancestors and my nations crimes, I am committed to stand up against antisemitism, race, and hate. And many others partaking in the commemoration and beyond are as well, emphasizing the common ground of „Loving neighbor and self“. A glimpse of hope in times of trouble.

It is my constant prayer that these signs of hope will develop into a shield against the evil forces of hatred as more and more pull together as they feel their responsibility for peace. Governments and religions. Representatives and individuals.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

May the memory of Mireille Knoll forever be a blessing.

May Europe wake up through her senseless murder before it is too late.

Bulletproof Backpacks

am von German Pastorin Allgemein1 Kommentar

The sun was shining bright as we waited for the school bus to turn around the small curve to the drive way of our parsonage. Our two younger kids had been playing hide and seek. As they tired out, my younger child took my hand and looked at me. I knew from the way she looked at me and paused her breath, that she was wanting to say something important.

„Mommy?“, a big charming smile was on her lips, „You know, I´m going to go to fifth grade in summer. And I´d love to have a new school bag. Like my older brothers and sisters.“ The smile got bigger and she blinked at me in the most charming way. As I was about to say something, the bus turned around the corner and my youngest child took her sturdy German schoolbag and quickly ran to the bright yellow school bus.

In Germany school kids are gifted a „Schulranzen“, a very stable and high quality schoolbag. This bag is a companion for the first four school years. When entering German Middle School, they will change this bag for a more fashionable, but less sturdy one.

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„What a pity for the lovely blue and pink companion.“ I sighed, but understood. My youngest child would be transitioning to the next step of her life. So here I went, on the search for a new bag. Requirements and needs are different to Germany, with less weight to carry every day and the student not having to take food along for long school days.  As I googled different sites about the needs, feedback on different products and opinions of other parents, I was flabbergasted as I was referred to bulletproof backpacks for school kids.

After living in the US for over three years, I have become accustomed to many things. But firearms, shootings, and the danger of being hurt through guns have alienated this beloved country. As a German, who is aware of the broken history and crimes of our nation, I have never held a real firearm in my hands and do not plan to do so. Reasonings like the second amendment seem difficult for me to understand as there is no real danger having to bear arms supporting the natural rights of self-defense and resistance to oppression, and the civic duty to act in concert in defense of the state. For me it seems more like the danger comes from within, when Americans harm Americans. Statistically 96 American citizens die everyday from fire arms.

„Well“, a kind security officer told me, „you will have to adapt to our culture. Fire arms are part of it. Get used to it.“ As I scrolled through the website, my heart sank. What a tough world for kids in America to grow up in, having to live with the fear of being shot. A dangerous and brave new world beyond the one we have left behind. Countries like Great Britain have been able to change their laws as they faced the brutal consequences of school massacres like Dunblane in 1996. But in the US with so many students, teachers and staff loosing their lives, with so many going to the streets in protest, the firearm industry seems unbelievable powerful like Goliath as he bragged in front of his enemies about his strength and invincibility. As a Christian, I can only hope and it is my constant prayer, that this will end in a David-and-Goliath-story, where the weak and small will triumph over the mighty.

Facing the demons of past, present and future

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My hands unearthed two huge books from the bottom of a parcel. The unexpected weight of the grey literature almost forced me to drop them. Anxiously, but nonetheless scared, I awaited these books in the last weeks. They would help me to face the demons of our troubled German past as well as my fears for the present and future of our increasingly divided society in the US and around the world.

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Hitlers „Mein Kampf“ is the ugliest and most hurtful expression of racism and root of crimes against humanity. His evil writing had inspired a whole nation to commence unforeseen brutal actions, bringing death and suffering over generations of Jews and other marginalized people.

Ever since I can remember, the demons of the German past have haunted me. Now I am facing them, trying to explore the history and creation of racism throughout human history. It is this thread I am trying to uncover as part of my doctoral studies.

The critical edition of Hitlers „Mein Kampf“ will be a important and hurtful read as I hope to be a small warning voice in a growing choir of likeminded. Hopefully my research, actions and words will help prevent such crimes ever to happen again.

As I opened the first page of the first volume, my hands were trembling. How will I react to encountering Hitlers ideas for the first time? Which discoveries will haunt my future nightmares? But I knew: Confronting these and other demons, which are rooted in the racial theory of hate and exclusion, is a first important step to hinder tragedies to come. In a politically dense situation like we are facing it in the United States and all around the world, it will be vital to see analogies and name them in order to cast them out.

 

When stubborn altar candles are witnesses for Christ

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Sunday mornings always follow a beloved ritual: after preparing the sanctuary for the upcoming service, I welcome worshippers one by one as I make my way through the old sanctuary.  And as usual, I could already see the dismay of an elderly lady, who sat at the far right side in one of the last pews, as I moved towards her. After greeting her and exchanging small talk, she pulled me closer to herself. „Pastor!“, she said in a load, booming voice, „haven’t you seen the tall right altar candle? It´s crooked again!“ As every Sunday I apologized to her and then moved quickly through the isle, up five steps to the altar, reaching up high to the stubborn candle and shifting it back into its place.

When I passed the elderly congregant, she nodded in approval and the service could begin. Hymn by hymn, prayer by prayer, reading by reading passed. And slowly but surely, the altar candle as most Sundays made it´s way back into it´s original position. Leaning in a self confident inwardly as if it were pointing towards the cross.

Seldom one Sunday passed without this kind of interactive ritual. After thoroughly looking at the candle holder and applying all kinds of remedies like paper and other material to keep the candle from slipping, I gave in to the stubborn altar candle. Submitting myself to the always present ritual of being adamantly reminded, correcting the candle and watching while it made it´s way back into the old position.

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It was one weekday afternoon that completely changed my view on this ritual. As I walked through the Sanctuary tired and weary from a incident, the beautiful silence of our church calmed my turbulent thoughts. I sat down in the front pew to find guidance in the daily scripture reading, but instead of giving me relief from the troubles around me, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was one I surely didn’t want to hear today. I sighed as I read about Jesus way to the cross.

It was the unbelievable ironical words of one of the criminals, who was crucified together with the messiah, which sent shivers down my spine. ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’  His words seemed to me a symbol of complete resignation to the world, to God and the messiah.

Instead of waiting for a reply from Jesus, the second criminal answered to this grim question: ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’

As the words of the second criminal unfolded in the biblical reading, my eyes went from the bible up to the right altar candle, which was still stubbornly leaning inwards to the cross.

The brave answer and confession of the criminal led to a wonderful eternal perspective as Jesus articulated a promise beyond the criminals guilt: ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’  By confessing his sins, the criminal had completely laid his faith and trust into the hands of God. And it seemed to me as if the candle was not able to do it differently, but to lean towards the cross.

The stubborn altar candle was a silent, but very persistent witness of the crucifixion. Now, Sunday after Sunday, I see the Gospel as it is enacted by these two candles, reminding us to lean on God. For we are not saved by humanly power, but by the grace of the cross through Jesus Christ.

 

Luk 23:26-39 (NRSV):

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

Seeking Lutheran Identity in the 21st Century

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The High line park near my Church was busy as always on a bright Sunday morning. Many people enjoyed the late fall sun before the icy winter would send cold winds through the New York street canyons.

A small scholar in black and white stood in front of a huge graffiti while Henry Taylor´s art work „The floaters“ talked in bright colors about a relaxing day at a pool. The little Playmobil toy set a more earnest tone. Holding a scribes quill in one hand, „Little Luther“ held the Holy Bible in a tight grip as it was glistening in the morning sun. The black letters spoke in a self-confident and brief way of a serious matter that is woven through Martin Luther´s Theology: „The End of the Books of the Old Testament … The New Testament translated by Doctor Martin Luther„. (1)

When I first received the small toy from Germany, I didn’t grasp it´s significance and how deeply embedded into lives this difficult theology can be. Generations of Theologians like Martin Luther and many others saw Judaism coming to an end with Jesus as the Messiah. (2) This misconception of salvation raises difficult questions for a Christian-Jewish dialogue: How can we reconnect even though generations before us have set us so far apart on the basis of these theological misconceptions? How can we rediscover the common ground of the Thora after turning against our Jewish brothers and sisters? What first seemed as neat toy for young and old, is becoming a increasing issue for me as I grow deeper into the Jewish-Christian Dialogue in New York City.

As part of the so called Generation Y, I have been raised with a dominant and strong picture of a perfect reformer, who lead Christianity into freedom from oppression. Who wouldn’t know the different, almost folk like tales, when Martin Luther threw the ink against the wall to scare away the devil? Or when he nailed the 95 thesis to the Church door in Wittenberg?

While emphasizing the German hero Martin Luther, most of the difficult facts have been successfully kept from us during our childhood. And like peeling an onion, layer by layer, the negative sides of the foremost „brilliant“ reformer come to the surface. And this uncovering is causing a identity issue within Lutheranism:

Martin Luther´s strong anti-Judaism, which played a huge inspiring role in leading Nazi-Germany towards the crime of the Holocaust. His words might have been part of a larger societal crime, but neither his grief for the death of his daughter nor his senility can ever explain his false theological opinions. Or his political misconceptions, where Luther sacrificed the peasants to their oppressors in order to endure in the power struggles of Church, Lordship and the normal people.

Layer after layer the Lutheran Identity is challenged. We are now facing a long overdue and cleansing identity crisis within Lutheranism. The „great hero“ of the Reformation is demasked as failing and sinful person. His own words may be a consolation to us in the midst of transformation: we all are sinners and saints.

The 500rd celebration of the Reformation might be the perfect time to reflect and to uncover the „real“ Martin Luther learning from his theological brilliance AND his terrible theological failures. A great opportunity might be at hand to bring Luthers core discovery to its true significance: Transforming Lutheranism as a means of hope beyond failure, grace beyond sin.

(1) Playmobil has altered its 1st edition, deleting the „Ende“ due to the difficult theological implication of the writing.

(2) Paul in contrast states that the Jews are saved – see Rom 11.

A Subway „Halleluja“

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My tired feet dragged me step by step to the shuttle train. Same procedure as ever for a pastor, living and working at two ends of her congregation. A normal New York story of long commutes, short nights and many challenges a large city and ministry brings.

While I swam with the faceless masses of fellow commuters my mind raced like mad. Outwardly calm, words sharp like razor knives echoed in my mind. What a irony while we were celebrating International Day of Peace in New York and all around the world! There are so many things wrong in our world – in every day life! I lamented and lamented in my thoughts while the book case in my hand got increasingly heavier.

As I dragged my way down the grey steps a familiar tune played by a trombone filled the stuffy subway air: Leonard Cohen´s „Halleluja“ woke me up from my nightmarish thoughts of one-way-streets and dead ends. The song was like balm on my weary soul. It seemed as if I was told by God that it would be alright in one way or the other sometime.

I had to think of Leonard Cohen´s words when he once was approached by John McKenna in a interview about his famous song „Hallelujah“:

„Finally there’s no conflict between things, finally everything is reconciled but not where we live. This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled but there are moments when we can transcend the dualistic system and reconcile and embrace the whole mess and that’s what I mean by Hallelujah. That regardless of what the impossibility of the situation is, there is a moment when you open your mouth and you throw open your arms and you embrace the thing and you just say ‚Hallelujah! Blessed is the name.‘ And you can’t reconcile it in any other way except in that position of total surrender, total affirmation. […]

That’s what it’s all about. It says that none of this – you’re not going to be able to work this thing out – you’re not going to be able to set – this realm does not admit to revolution – there’s no solution to this mess. The only moment that you can live here comfortably in these absolutely irreconcilable conflicts is in this moment when you embrace it all and you say ‚Look, I don’t understand a fucking thing at all – Hallelujah! That’s the only moment that we live here fully as human beings.“ (1)

Leonhard Cohen´s song escorted me into the new hectic day in busy New York. Not everything would be fine and lots of things would stay a hurtful mystery to me. But in the mean time I would praise God. In the subway and beyond.

(https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/rte.html )

False messiahs, votes, and hopes for the future

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A sigh of relief passed my lips as I opened my absentee ballot that had just come with our daily mail. It had been some journey to exercise the rights of my German citizenship: After applying in April the ballot finally arrived two weeks before the election. As I opened the grey envelope, perfect German structure greeted me while my mind wandered of to the consequences of my vote and that of 82 Million German citizens. Even though nobody really expected a political messiah, many of those near to me set their hopes on the main stream parties. And I must admit, the rather uneventful political campaign without any major scandals had a consoling effect on me. But these quiet and intellectual campaign trails have not always been part of Germany´s political makeup.

When Hitler headed for being reelected in November 1933 a incredibly accurate planned show was orchestrated by Hitlers Propaganda minister Goebbels. In many ways it had particularly similar elements of a boastful and arrogant attitude, which was exposed during the last US-American campaign for the oval office. The loud outward appearance was even called by some „American style“. Victor Klemperer diary entry from Nov 11, 1933 is a shocking and insightful reminder of this time:

„The excessive propaganda for the “ Yes“. On every business car, postal car and bicycle , at every house and shop window, on wide banners stretched across the street – everywhere slogans by Hitler and always „yes“ for peace. It is the most unbelievable of all hypocrisies. We want more soldiers to make the army to the militia and to blend with the million of SA [Sturmabteilung]. Parades and choruses until into the night, loudspeakers on the streets, music cars (with on the top mounted radios), cars like trams.

Yesterday from thirteen to two o’clock the „festive hour“. „In the thirteenth hour Adolf Hitler comes to the workers.“ Perfect the language of the Gospel. The Redeemer comes to the poor. And in addition the America-appearance. The sirens‘ haul, the minute of stillness […] A highly skilful, calmly spoken report on the disposition by Goebbels, and then about forty minutes of Hitler. A generally hoarse, overwhelmed, excited voice, wide passages in the vindictive tone of the preaching sectarian. Content: I know no intellectuals, citizens, proletarians – only the people. Why have millions of my enemies remained in the country? The emigrants are „rascals“ like the brothers Rasser. And a few hundred thousand rootless international – interjection: „Jews!“ – want to oppose millions of people. I only want peace, I have risen from the low people, I do not want anything for myself, I have three and a half years‘ full power and do not need a title. You must say yes for your sake. […] The man [Hitler] is a excessive enthusiast. And he hasn’t learned anything.“ (1)

As I started to fill out my absentee ballot, I couldn’t get my mind of the present difference of politics in both countries. Here was I in one of the greatest nations in the world casting my vote for the highest office in Germany – and in some ways things have been tossed upside down. My fear of seeing this nightmare happen again intensified significantly in the last weeks when hearing about the rise of right winged parties in the country of my upbringing. We may not have the choice of electing a „political messiah“ – and I am very honest: I do not hope, we will ever be blinded and lulled into disaster by a crazy and powerful politician! But by exersizing the rights of my citizenship in a democratic way, I will be able to be a small drop making a difference against any right winged tendencies.

(1) Victor Klemperer, Tagebücher (1033-1934), p. 67-68. Translation (MG)