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Mühltal, June 5th 2004 Dear Debbie, tomorrow is the 60th anniversary of the allied landing in Normandy. As a child I have been to Arromanches in Normandy, I have been walking on the beaches where so many American and British soldiers lost their lives. I felt deep gratefulness for their sacrifice and I felt shame and anger that all this had been necessary because my grandparents` generation had been committing the most horrible crimes against humanity. I have seen the white crosses and the Stars of David on the green grass. It was almost unreal because it was a beautiful summerday with sunshine and blue skies. I was standing there realizing that all these mainly young soldiers had died far away from their homeland to liberate Europe from the nazi-regime ... I cannot describe the deep sadness I felt at that moment. There was a consoling element though: They had not died in vain. Europe was liberated. And when I was born in 1968, I was allowed to grow up in a free and democratic country. Thanks to the Americans, thanks to the British, thanks to all the soldiers who were fighting in the allied forces. I will never forget this. And it is this deep gratefulness that makes me so angry whenever I hear people blaming the United States for the bad in the world. In March I got a very kind email from Eddie, a British citizen who is living in Germany for over 20 years now. He told me he liked my website and added that some of these American or British graves in Normandy were desecrated during the Iraq war. I had not heard anything in the media about this! My dear friends in France, you know that I love your country, your beautiful language, the lovely Provence and I really enjoyed my two years in South-France, but if this is true: Shame on you! I know, it must be a highly unpleasant truth to face for "la grande nation", but it was not the Resistance that liberated France, but the Americans. And now German Chancellor Schröder is invited to attend the commemoration ceremonies. I can understand that the British veterans are not very fond of this idea. And I can only hope that this event will not be misused by Chirac and Schröder to form yet another alliance against the United States. This day is too important for playing games. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Love, Karin Mühltal, June 6th 2004 Dear Debbie, I am just watching the U.S.-French ceremony in Colleville-sur-Mer and I am deeply impressed. Already before the start of the ceremony you are overwhelmed when looking at the rows of white crosses and Stars of David on the green grass. And just like the first time I went there, the skies are blue and the sun is shining. It looks so pacific, that it is hard to imagine the fierce fighting that must have gone on 60 years ago. Now the ceremony starts and Chirac is the first to speak. As expected, he expresses France´s gratitude, salutes the courage of those who fought, and then he even calls the U.S. France´s everlasting friend and eternal ally! I am curious to see whether that means anything in practice. There is e. g. going to be a vote on the U.N.-resolution about power-transfer in Iraq. Is the everlasting friend of the U.S. going to vote in favour of this resolution? And now President Bush. In his speech he is picking out single events. He describes how the beach looked like the days after the landing with life belts and helmets, diaries and bibles lying around. He is citing what Anne Frank wrote in her diary that day and that she had hoped to go back to school in September or October. And of course, he pays tribute to the men of D-Day and he mentions the nations involved Americans, Britains, Canadians, Poles, free French. And he ends by saying ... "and America would do it again for our friends." It is a very touching speech, indeed. Now I am curious to hear Chancellor Schröder´s speech at the French-German ceremony at the Caen peace memorial. More tomorrow. Love, Karin Mühltal, June 7th 2004 Dear Debbie, mission impossible accomplished! On the 60th anniversary of the allied landing in Normandy German Chancellor Schröder held a speech without mentioning the word "American". He preferred talking about the allied forces and their sacrifice, but unlike President Bush, he did not say who was part of the allied forces. To my big surprise he mentioned the Russian soldiers expressis verbis. Do not misunderstand me. Of course, the sacrifice of the Russian soldiers in fighting against Hitler should not be forgotten, but as far as I know, the Russians did not take part in the allied landing in Normandy, did they? Chancellor Schröder went on thanking France for helping with the German reunification, but here again, at least, as far as I remember, it was French President Mitterand who, in the beginning, was not at all delighted to see Germany reunify, whereas President Bush strongly supported German reunification. And knowing that Ronald Reagan had died the day before, wouldn´t this have been the moment to remember his famous words: "Mr. Gorbatchov, tear down this wall!"? Maybe you´re gonna tell me I am seeing things, but I felt that this has been a highly anti-American speech. Not in plain terms, of course, but we, Europeans, do not say it the direct way and when you start reading between the lines, ... ... you maybe get an impression of what is meant by "power of peace", the slogan of the social democratic European election campaign. I can only hope that their slogan will show no power. I will do my very best on Sunday ;-) Love, Karin Mühltal, June 14th 2004 Dear Debbie, the social democrats got less than 22 % of the votes! This time the war and peace rhetorics has not worked. Love Karin © Karin Quade, June 5th, 6th, 7th, 14th 2004 |
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