Schlagwort: Menschenwürde

My dear Jewish friend 19: Important Alliances to combat Antisemitism and hate

am von German Pastorin Bayern, Germany1 Kommentar

The downpour of rain came steady and hard. As I excited the car and stepped on the sidewalk I pulled my Police cap as deep as possible into place and quickly made my way to the old church of St. Johannes in the center of Munich. Due to present renovations it was quite a challenge to find the entrance to this traditional Lutheran church, which was build in 1916. After placing my wet Police cap and jacket on the wardrobe I was warmly greeted by Dr. Philipp Hildmann, who would be inducted into his office as the director of the „Bayerisches Bündnis für Toleranz- Demokratie und Menschenwürde schützen“ (Engl.: Bavarian Alliance for Tolerance – Protecting Democracy and Human Dignity).

He had invited me to be part of the intercessory prayers at his introductory service on Dec 12. What an honour in times like these, where Antisemitic crimes are on the rise in Germany and around the world. Since the attack of the Hamas on Israel Oct 7 the unbelievable high number of 1100 incidents have occurred until Dec 21 in Germany (Source: Bundeskriminalamt). According to Holger Münch, the President of the Bundeskriminalamt the dimension in the area of ​​these crimes are new (Neue Zürcher Zeitung). He emphasized that Antisemitism increased on both the left and right spectrum, but was also imported. „Many people have come to our country from regions where Israel is seen as an enemy and where the idea prevails that Jews must be fought,“ said Münch (Source: Jüdische Allgemeine; translation MG). An important area to combat this terrible hate crime will therefore be education, where new members of our German society learn about our history and values, which have their highest expression in Democracy and human dignity.

The present developments show drastically how important it is to form strong alliances against Antisemitism, extremism and any form of hate. As a Police Chaplain involved in educating the next generations of police officers within the German Federal Police I hope to make a difference through the education I provide.

(left: Landesbischof Christian Kopp; right: Bishop Dr. Bertram Meier; photo: Philipp Hildmann)

As Philipp stood at the altar surrounded by our new Bishop Christian Kopp and the Roman Catholic Bishop Dr. Bertram Maier, numerous representatives of the churches, government and institutions, my heart stopped for a beat as I prayed for this courageous man, who is the face of one of the most important alliances in Germany. His task will be a hard one in these unbelievable difficult times, but we as his partners will stand strong together with him. We will carry him through in times of trouble and need.

(From left to right: Markus Rinderspacher, Vice President of the Bavarian Parliament; Miriam Groß, Police Chaplain German Federal Police; Dr. Philipp Hildmann; Bettina Nickel, Vice speaker of the Alliance for Tolerance; Photo: Philipp Hildmann)

The weather on this day might have been barren outside of the church, but within it was warm and welcoming. As I excited the old building and quickly made my way to the car through the continuing downpour I knew: Philipp might experience many a challenge and most likely countless rainy days, but the people, institutions and organisations of the Alliance will keep him and anyone secure as we move forward to combat Antisemitism, extremism and hate in any form.

(Liturgy written by Regional Bishop Dr. Dorothea Greiner)

My dear Jewish friend 12: hygiene, human dignity and daily reminders

am von German Pastorin Allgemein2 Kommentare

My hand softly touched the thick glass of the exhibition. I swallowed deeply as a huge knot of grief and anger formed in my stomach. No, it couldn’t be … but deep in my heart I knew it had happened. The small safety razor and its blades in the small glass cabinet looked so innocent and ordinary. Nonetheless, it was a silent witness of crimes unimaginable and executed on innocent people. What had started as a trip with my police cadets to the memorial of the concentration camp of Flossenbürg, took an unforeseen personal turn that would from then onwards be a constant reminder in my daily routine.

Just a few weeks ago I had bought a safety razor. One of these „old style“ ones, where you could detach the double-edged blade while the rest would be reused. I wanted to preserve the environment and thought to myself: Why not first start with my daily routines? Small actions that cumulate make a big difference.

On that wintery October day it hit me directly into my face as I saw a double-edged razor with separate blades that almost looked identical to the one laying in my bath room. I couldn’t take my eyes of this device of daily hygiene, which once according to the description belonged an prisoner of the concentration camp Flossenbürg. It was taken away as an action of discrimination. Hygiene was not allowed in these death camps. What is natural to us – a nice shaved beard, neatly cut hair, hygiene of other body parts – was taken away from prisoners as an instrument of oppression and terror.

Hair is such an essential part of our human dignity. A part of our personal expression of self. The Nazi terror went further. It not only took away double-edged razors, which ensured a personal self-administered hygiene, like the one exhibited in Flossenbürg, but brutally stole human dignity by shaving the hair of every person entering with straight razors and replacing names by numbers. Those ensuring this terror were part of the „Schutzstaffel“, which in 1936 was united by Himmler with the police.

As I pointed my young police cadets to the small glass cabinet with the double-edged razor, they were equally astonished to see a hygienically product laying there, which is now very much in fashion. Many had bought one themselves to show that they would try to preserve the environment. Now it is an unforeseen reminder in their and my daily private routine. Every young police cadet, who is impacted by an encounter with the evil, murderous regime that took millions of innocent lives, is one ally more and a sign of hope in our broken world.