It doesn't happen often that a speech can transform the way a nation sees itself and also the way the world sees that nation. Such a speech was delivered by Richard von Weizsäcker, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, on May 8, 1985. Today we learned that von Weizsäcker died in Berlin at the age of 94.
Und dennoch wurde von Tag zu Tag klarer, was es heute für uns alle gemeinsam zu sagen gilt: Der 8. Mai war ein Tag der Befreiung. Er hat uns alle befreit von dem menschenverachtenden System der nationalsozialistischen Gewaltherrschaft.
(Yet with every day something became clearer, and this must be stated on behalf of all of us today: The 8th of May was a day of liberation. It liberated all of us from the inhumanity and tyranny of the National Socialist regime.)
Read the entire speech - auf Deutsch, in English translation.
Richard von Weizsäcker was also a soldier of the Wehrmacht and he has fought on all major theaters of war in Europe. He was member of the Infantry Regiment 9 of Potsdam, which had the nicknames Graf Neun (Count Nine) and I.R. von Neun, because of the high percentage of Prussian aristocrats and purported arrogance in its ranks. 19 of its officers were involved in the conspiracy against Hitler, by far more than in any other German regiment. I think these have shown integrity and loyalty in their highest sense. They have seen the conflict between their military oath on Adolf Hitler and the values they have shared. Their eyes were open, they have realized the crimes comitted by the German forces and for them it was a matter of courage and honour to join the conspiracy against Hitler. This also sheds a light on other parts of the Wehrmacht. One might ask, what was known in this regiment that was unkown in the rest of the Wehrmacht? Not very much, I suppose. Except the true meaning of loyalty and integrity.
The regiment's tradition is continued by the Wachbataillon of the Bundeswehr, which performs the military honours during state visits or on comparable occasions.
Posted by: koogleschreiber | February 01, 2015 at 12:27 AM