National holiday: Zella-Mehli celebrates unit with a thoughtful look

National holiday: Zella-Mehli celebrates unit with a thoughtful look

Zella-Mehlis experiences a significant national holiday, which, however, is not the same as the festive atmosphere of comparable celebrations in other countries. At a commemorative event on the famous memorial stone for the peaceful revolution in front of the town hall, Thomas Bischof spoke of the challenges associated with the day of German unity. The representative of the free voters found that the importance of such holidays is often undervalued in this country, while they are recognized in countries like France or the USA with great celebrations and parties.

Bishop pointed out that October 3 in Germany has only been celebrated for 34 years. In the intended states, on the other hand, such anniversaries are firmly anchored in social awareness, which leads to a collective feeling of identity. "We tend to consider things to be a matter of course that are not," he said and asked to strengthen the awareness of the values of peace and unity.

a personal relationship to history

In the middle of these reflections, Bishop emphasized that despite his active political commitment, he also did not adequately caught the depth of these topics. An impressive moment was a hike along the "Green Band", during which his father told him about his own experience as a borderline. These stories led to a sudden insight with Bishop: peace and unity are by no means a matter of course. "It is a realization that I wasn't really aware of before," he confessed. These personal experiences underline the importance of not forgetting the historical dimension of the holiday and perceiving your own story.

The memorial event attracted a mixture of citizens and representatives of various political camps, which were pausing together and commemorating the past events. The proportion of citizens who actively participate is a sign of a growing interest in the history of Germany, especially in the opening of the wall and the events of the turning point that led to reunification.

The speeches of that day were not only retrospectively, but also preventive. "We have to learn from the past to secure stability and peace in the present and future," emphasized Bishop. In his speech, he appealed to those present to take responsibility and actively work for the values that the day symbolizes.

For more information and details on the current celebrations and their importance, the article on www.insuedthueringen.de an interesting reading.