"Peiting for Peace": 500 people take to the streets against the Ukraine war

Sadness, anger, frustration: There was plenty of room for emotions at the big peace rally "Peiting for Peace" on Peiting's main square yesterday.

The event, organized by clubs, associations, churches and politicians, also showed that we stick together – everyone against war and for peace!

Peiting

- More and more people stream into the center of Peiting at 5 p.m. - in the end the police count more than 500, who stand up together at the upper and lower main square with distance and masks for peace and against a war in Ukraine, in the middle of Europe.

The event will be chaired by local councilor Herbert Salzmann.

You want to consciously avoid music.

It's not a happy occasion.

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"Poo-tin!" demands this participant.

© Hans-Helmut Herold

More than a hundred cranes are hung around the Barbara Fountain.

They float in the heart of the event as a symbol of world peace - over the course of the rally, well over a hundred are to be added.

The first speaker is Karin Neureuther from Peiting.

Touched by the terrible pictures from Ukraine, the citizen called clergymen and politicians on her own initiative - the idea for the peace rally was born.

The lady is the first to speak: “We couldn't imagine experiencing the war for ourselves.

Now a war has started that is terrifying people all over the world.

I feel a fear rising in me like I've never had before." Almost every day she lights a candle in a chapel and prays: "Dear God, bring Putin to his senses." Her voice breaks out again and again,

at the end the initiator has tears in her eyes.

She is not alone here with her feelings.

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For young and old, the “Peiting for Peace” rally is all about one thing: peace.

© Hans-Helmut Herold

Gunnar Prielmeier speaks as deputy mayor, Wolfgang Taffertshofer as deputy district administrator, and Bärbel Schlamp from the Saliterhof, where donations are collected.

At the end there is room for the feelings of the participants, whoever wants to can step up to the lectern.

There are sometimes uncomfortable truths.

A lady steps forward.

The fact that we are all just watching “how those in Ukraine are fighting for us in the fight for democracy – that leaves me speechless.

The worst thing is that we are also guilty – for years we had tomatoes on Putin's eyes!”

Children also have their say

Children also speak up, expressing their wishes that the war may be over, that peace may reign again.

A girl describes what is going on inside her.

"I can't imagine what it must feel like to have to leave your family." Ukrainian Ganna, who has lived in Germany for nine years, calls out to people: "Please appreciate your freedom!

People in Russia cannot speak their minds.”

A Polish citizen who has lived in Germany for two years is also moving at the lectern.

In his hometown of Wroclaw, with a population of one million, 300,000 Ukrainian women and children are waiting for help.

"We can't send guns - but food and blankets." When a man fighting for Ukraine knows that his wife and children can live in peace and freedom and are taken care of, "only then does he have the strength for his land to fight."

A powerful sense of togetherness

Children present their prayers.

There is an ecumenical prayer with the pastors.

At the end, all hum the chant “My hope is my joy” under spiritual direction.

A powerful feeling of cohesion is spreading - just one of many deeply touching moments at this event.