Current references to the Corona crisis and a special guest of honor: The memorial services for Memorial Day were more than a hollow ritual in the district.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
- The victims of war and tyranny were commemorated on Sunday in many places in the district with wreath-laying ceremonies, speeches and music.
To ensure that this tradition does not degenerate into an empty ritual on the day of national mourning, current references in the speeches - be it to the corona crisis, social developments, foreign deployments of the Bundeswehr or today's refugee movements.
US Consul General Timothy Liston visits the memorial day in Bad Tölz
In Bad Tölz this year the emphasis on transatlantic friendship took a special place.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the withdrawal of American troops from the county seat, US Consul General Timothy Liston was a guest.
“It cannot be taken for granted that an American flag is waved at a German war memorial and the American anthem is played,” said Mayor Ingo Mehner at the ceremony at the Franciscan Church.
In both world wars, German and American soldiers faced each other as enemies.
In 1945 US soldiers came into the country as occupiers.
In Bad Tölz, however, the saying that stands today on a memorial in the former barracks square came true: "Opponents become friends."
Mayor: Many people from Tölz still regret that Americans left Bad Tölz in 1991
He experienced that personally when he lived next door to American soldiers in his youth on Lettenholz, said Mehner.
He also experienced the cross-border community when he was stationed in Bosnia-Herzegovina during his military service and also worked there with American and French soldiers.
In Bad Tölz, according to the mayor's words, to this day many people regret that the Americans left in 1991.
Turning to the Consul General, Mehner emphasized the hope that there will continue to be many German-American contacts and that despite the sometimes prevailing skepticism, common ground will be remembered.
"What unites us is our belief in democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms."
German-American friendships as the cornerstone of transatlantic relations
Standing up for these values together is all the more important in times when liberal principles and the rule of law are coming under pressure in many places and nationalist tendencies are breaking through, Liston confirmed. The day of national mourning and "the global character of this quiet day" are a good approach. Liston described friendships that arose during the American stationing in Bad Tölz as the "cornerstone of transatlantic relations" which is still important today.
In his address, Florian Völler, district commissioner in the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, emphasized the current relevance beyond the memory of the world wars.
"Even today people come to Bad Tölz who bring fresh memories of war and persecution with them to our ideal world," he said.
It is all the more important to reach out to the people who are victims of hatred and violence - "be it in Syria, Afghanistan or in their own circle of families and acquaintances" - to help.
"We shouldn't be indifferent when our democracy and our values are pelted with dirt"
The past few years have shown that anti-democratic ideas are still alive in some minds and how low the threshold is to relativize the horrors of history.
For example, when a "Jana from Kassel" compares herself with the Nazi persecuted Anne Frank during lateral thinker protests, or when the corona vaccination campaign is equated with forced labor and murders in concentration camps.
Here it is important to show attitude.
"We shouldn't be indifferent when our democracy and our values are pelted with dirt."
The town band organized the memorial service at the war memorial musically, several clubs took part with flag delegations, and the mountain rifle company shot a salute.
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Bundeswehr soldiers from Altenstadt listened to the speeches by (front, from left) Mayor Thomas Holz, Father Johannes Neuner from Benediktbeuern Monastery, Deacon Georg Meigel and veteran board member Josef Scheifler in Kochel.
© Andreas Sauer
Bundeswehr flier squadron visits the Memorial Day in Kochel am See
The day of national mourning was also celebrated in many other communities in the district.
In Kochel am See, for example, in addition to the local veterans 'and reservists' association, a delegation from the Bundeswehr squadron from Altenstadt took part.
The brass band Kochel am See played, the song wreath contributed a vocal part.
Here, too, the corona crisis and the foreign missions of the Bundeswehr were topics in the speeches.
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In memory of the deceased, fallen and missing from the two world wars, but also of all recent military operations, Pastor Leo Sobik (center) and Mayor Jan Göhzold (right) laid a wreath in Wackersberg.
© Hans Demmel
At the wreath-laying ceremony in Wackersberg, Mayor Jan Göhzold said: “In order for the warning and admonition of the horrors of war not to wane, our thoughts on the day of national mourning must go back to the past.
Let us take today as a reminder for peace, freedom and international understanding. "
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(By Andreas Steppan, Hans Demmel and Andreas Sauer)