Memorial Day: Remind and remind you - an appeal by Bishop Schüfer

Memorial Day: Remind and remind you - an appeal by Bishop Schüfer

Weimar. On Memorial Day, the fallen soldier is once again commemorated in the region who left their lives in the world wars. The monuments that were once built with a different intention are today as a memorials of horror and loss. In Tannroda and Hochdorf, the inscriptions on the plaques are an urgent expression of the way of thinking at that time. "Holy Struggle" and "God wanted it that way" - such words look like a shocking echo from the past.

The number of fallen rose dramatically in World War II. In Hochdorf there are now 17 names, while Tannroda comes up with 99 fallen. However, the message of the monuments has changed. When renovating the Hochdorfer memorial stone, one initiator said: "The memorial stone should be a reminder for our children." In Tannroda, the idea is formulated even more clearly: "The dead to commemorate - the living for a reminder." These words are not just a memory, but an urgent call to never forget the horrors of the war.

a call to commemorate

Regional bishop Tobias Schüfer expresses himself urgently about the memories of the victims: "Don't cried, God wanted it that way"? These words are not acceptable. In view of the immeasurable suffering caused by war and tyranny, grief is not only allowed, but is necessary. Many families carry the scars of loss to this day, and the pain over the loss of fathers, brothers and sons is unforgettable. Schüfer emphasizes that Jesus teaches us: "Blessed, who create peace, because they will be called God's children."

The commemorative celebrations on the Memorial Day are more than just a tradition. They are a powerful appeal to reflect on the horrors of the past and to fight for a peaceful future. In the midst of grief and commemoration, the message becomes clear: The memory of the fallen should remind us all of us to keep peace.