remembering... peace... freedom

It's been an emotional journey...



I've visited so many Peace Bloggers over the past few days. I'm still not done. The great thing about that is that it means that so many participated in this community effort for Peace.



For me, the BlogBlast for Peace was the first day in what is shaping up to be a very important and moving time.



On this day, in 1938, Germany was filled with fire and hate. It was one of the worst demonstrations of the hatred that can fill a human heart... hate that comes from fear and lack of understanding - Kristallnacht. It lasted two days... but it was one event in a long series of human tragedies.

Synagogues were destroyed, windows broken... shards of glass were everywhere.



I strongly encourage you to listen to Johanna (Gerechter) Neumann, a Holocaust survivor, as she shares her account of Kristallnacht. She was just a few years younger than my daughter is now. We can never forget what hate and fear can do.

"When we Jews talk about the Torah scrolls, this is the basis of our belief. This is the basis of our observance. This is the basis of our lives. This was thrown into the streets. It was torn up. It was desecrated by hordes of people who had absolutely lost all respect of any other people’s religion. It works itself right into the fact that you hate for the sake of hating, but you really don’t know why you are hating."
-Johanna Neumann, survivor

On this day, 20 years ago... the Berlin Wall gates were opened. And a divided people felt immense hope. A much happier anniversary.



I've gathered two videos... and cried buckets in the process.

The first one, gives you a portrait of what happened during the first year. It talks of the families that were separated, the people who were killed...

This one, is about it's fall...

I remember the joy of that day. I was 20 and full of "piss and vinegar" as my Dad used to say. I was going to change the world. I think I have, in a small way. I brought a wonderful child into the world, and that's one of the most positive things a human being can do.

The Human Spirit is stronger than the concrete of a wall, than it's steel reinforcements... The Human Spirit can overcome everything.

"The remembrance of Nov. 9, 1989, not to mention the remembrance of the horrific proceedings of the (Kristallnacht) pogrom on Nov. 9, 1938, unmistakably teaches us: Walls — whether real or in the heads and hearts of people — walls do not solve any problems."
— Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, head of Germany's Bishop's Conference.