Schlierseer are sending a strong message to the Ukraine

More than 500 people expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainians in the Schliersee Kurpark on Sunday morning.

An impressive sign that shouldn't stop there.

Schliersee

– The solidarity rally on Sunday did not turn out to be a quiet, warning protest, as the organizers Gerhard Polt, Markus Wasmeier and Hans Strack-Zimmermann from Neuhaus had imagined.

Shortly before half past eleven far too many people streamed into the Schliersee Kurpark, greeted each other with a big hello and then immediately and emotionally got to the topic: the war in Ukraine and how much they are moved by the fate and suffering of the Ukrainians.

How appalled she is by the fact that there is war in Europe.

The Schliersee brass band, which insisted on setting a sign of solidarity, soothed the crowd, which had meanwhile grown to 500 citizens, with solemn pieces of music.

Mayor: "It's a sign that we sympathize."

Mayor Franz Schnitzenbaumer thanked her and the organizers.

He believed that a show of solidarity like this would not affect the war and probably didn't mean much to those in power.

"But it means something to the people of Ukraine," he said.

"It's a sign that we sympathize.

A sign of solidarity.

A light they see.

A sign that promises help and the hope that it will all be over soon.” Schnitzenbaumer emphasized that Schliersee will be called upon in the coming weeks and months to help the people who will come and need support.

The participants then joined in prayer with the local pastors Ilka Huber and Hans Sinseder.

They asked for divine help so that the people of Ukraine, whose need is increasing every day, can get to safety.

They asked that those who caused this suffering finally come to their senses and that the warmongering arrogance be broken.

And they asked that the people of Schliersee find ways to help with works and deeds.

Rarely has the "Our Father" been so meaningfully spoken and literally prayed.

Markus Wasmeier falters in the face of suffering

Gerhard Polt, the cabaret artist from Neuhaus known for his powerful language, was appalled by what was happening in Ukraine: "I'm speechless.

It leaves me speechless.

But the fact that you are all there is an expression of what language cannot express.

Thank you!” he shouted to his fellow citizens.

And Markus Wasmeier, who came on stage with his wife Gitti and his Ukrainian godchild, added: "A hearty Vergelt's Gott!".

The former ski racer, who organized a Ukrainian week as a cultural festival in his open-air museum in 2009, emphasized the solidarity.

“We live in close friendship with the Ukrainians, who are not very different from us.

We are close to the mourners," said Wasmeier, who had tears in his eyes and his voice broke.

"It's so terrible.

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The gathering was organized by Gerhard Polt (left), Markus Wasmeier (at the microphone, with his wife Gitti and his Ukrainian godchild) and Hans Strack-Zimmermann.

Mayor Franz Schnitzenbaumer (2nd from left) also spoke to the crowd.

© THOMAS PLETTENBERG

Friendship bracelets sold for a fee

The Wasmeiers then helped to give the friendship bracelets, which the Ukrainian children had knotted and in which the Ukrainian national colors were combined with the local colors of Schliersee, to the Schlierseers in return for a fee and “concrete euro symbols”.

With applause and shouts of thanks, the statement of solidarity ended with a large group picture by the lake, which was sent directly to Ukraine via social media.

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