Coinery Posted May 9, 2015 Posted May 9, 2015 Now this should send a shiver up the spine this morning! The same old bells that sent their glorious sound out across the land for the actual event! Notwithstanding the fact that many of our tower bells are the same old bells that rang out in Stuart, and even Tudor times! Wonderful!Stick your head out the door at 11 chaps and chapesses! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32670639 Quote
Coinery Posted May 9, 2015 Author Posted May 9, 2015 ChKy, I'd be interested in your take on it! Are there any celebrations in Germany that mark the joy of soldiers returning home, and families being reunited after such suffering on all sides? Quote
ChKy Posted May 9, 2015 Posted May 9, 2015 (edited) Well... politicians remember these days in parliament and various other occasions. But here in Germany are no such widely distributed festivities. Rememberence is quite different here.First you have to keep in mind that the second world war (at least in my view) was the continuance of the first world war (The Great War). The European powers started the first war all together. At the end they failed to install a new, viable world order. The so called victorious powers stuck onto the old fashioned imperialism and took over the colonies of the fallen European empires. The result was, that twenty years later a party of thieves and murderers, cruel and brutal criminals, seduced and took control over disappointed and embittered German people. The resulting war had vast consequencesMillions over Millions of dead people (civilians and soldiers)destruction of human civilization, cultural achievementswaste of financial as well as natural resources including human livesMillions of people were homeless, bombed out and expelledpoverty and hungerThe Western allies took the assistance of a restrictive regime (Stalin) to beat another restrictive regime (Hitler). The outcome was a cold war threatening the whole planet with atomic destruction.There is nothing to celebrate, to cheer or to triumph. It is time to remember and to mourn. People killed (and still kill) each other for abstract terms like glory, honour or religion. As I mentioned before our duty is to prevent a repeat...Sorry for that harsh statement Coinery, it is not meant as an affront dear friend. Edited May 9, 2015 by ChKy Quote
Coinery Posted May 9, 2015 Author Posted May 9, 2015 No offence at all! I was interested in the symbolism of peace returning, and the end of bloodshed, upon the battlefield, at least! Quote
Fubar Posted May 9, 2015 Posted May 9, 2015 Remembering VE day for what it meant to my parents.For my father it meant an end to the fighting but he continued to serve for another 2 years.For my mother it meant an end to living in an occupied country as the enemy surrendered Norway rather than fight on fanatically.It also reminds me that my grandfather on this day 100 years ago was heavily engaged in the 2nd Battle of Ypres. He fought with the 4th Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps and when they were finally rested after fighting from the 7th to the 10th May 1915 out of a complement of about 600 they mustered 2 officers and 100 rank and file.I often wonder what he would think of today's world. Quote
ChKy Posted May 9, 2015 Posted May 9, 2015 (edited) After my German grandmother died several years ago, we found my grandfathers photo journal. It contained pictures taken during his military service in Northern Africa. Besides b/w views at Beduines, oasis, destroyed planes and tanks there were portraits of soldiers as well. Many were ripped out of the album. Only names like Karl, Friedrich, Georg or Gustav remained located beneath empty spaces. My mother told me, that grandpa has never spoken about the war...The war was not over after Germany capitulated. Japan was bombed with atomic weapons and the Baltic people had to struggle with Sowjet occupation again. Edited May 9, 2015 by ChKy 1 Quote
ChKy Posted May 9, 2015 Posted May 9, 2015 (edited) Millions of human beings were murdered, raiped, expelled after 1945. People (Polish, Hungarians, Austrians, Germans) lost their homes, because borders were modified. The last German POW returned in the mid 50ties. Stalin's regime opressed and killed an endless number of human beings after the war. Edited May 9, 2015 by ChKy Quote
Coinery Posted May 9, 2015 Author Posted May 9, 2015 That choked me up ChKy! thanks for finding that for us all! I'm going to look that book up! Quote
ChKy Posted May 9, 2015 Posted May 9, 2015 Far better to use such stories for rememberance, instead of attending parades Quote
scottishmoney Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 Book was an amazing read, and a stark reminder that people do not make war, governments, fools and armaments companies do. Quote
Coinery Posted June 1, 2015 Author Posted June 1, 2015 Did you watch that BBC Documentary about the plight of the German, and German-speaking, people after the war? I posted the link in ChKy's thread...what a breath taker!On i-player for a few more days...truly worth a watch! Quote
ChKy Posted June 12, 2015 Posted June 12, 2015 I am not a UK resident, so the link does not work for outlanders... 1 Quote
Coinery Posted June 12, 2015 Author Posted June 12, 2015 I am not a UK resident, so the link does not work for outlanders... A shame, as it was the most powerful post war documentary I've watched! Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.