Thankyou Max
Your posting of the Dresden Cathedral I found very moving.
I was born in England with English and German ancestry. My parents and
grandparents served in both world wars. My Grandfather of German descent
owned a bomb-making factory in London during WW2.
When I visited my mother (she is 81) in London after participating at Zist
last year she asked me how I enjoyed my first visit to Germany. Then she
said "we should never have done it". I didn't have clue what she was talking
about. The 'it' she explained was to bomb Dresden. I was quite surprised
(that is as surprised as the English can be) to hear her say that, with such
caring for the German people. She had lived through the Blitz.
I particularly appreciate the part in your posting regarding the alter and
the cross.
I cry with you.
David
Inner Success Pty Ltd
Melbourne Australia
W:http://www.innersuccess.net.au
on 31/10/05 8:03 PM, Max Dauskardt at max@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
This comes from Germany.
Today is a special day for this country; the Frauenkirche in Dresden was
dedicated
under the universal banner: peace be with you.
For me, the many years long process of bringing Germany back into the family
of nations started -apart from the fall of the Wall- with Christo's
wrapping of the Reichstag; symbolically putting a veil over the past,
allowing the re-furbishing of the building to become the seat of a most
democratic parliament.
The task of crowning the Reichstag with a glass dome was given to a British
architect, who achieved a marvel both in craftsmanship as well as in
reconciliation.
While that happened, the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche church in
Dresden had begun.
Surviving the immediate firestorm ignited by allied bombing that destroyed
the historic centre of Dresden in February '45, the church collapsed two
days later due to the heat damage it had suffered. The rubble was -virtually
against all odds- permitted to remain on site throughout the period of
communist rule in East Germany. Within weeks of the fall of the Wall, a
citizens initiative to rebuild started in Dresden which, 16 years later,
culminated in today's dedication service after the task was achieved mainly
by donations.
Once more an artifact that reconnects to a Germany of a different past was
crowned by an English gesture of reconciliation; the cross on the very top
of the sandstone dome was built and donated by citizens and royalty of the
Island Nation.
The third symbol of Anglo-German new beginnings came from Coventry, the city
put to ashes by German bombs in '40, destroying the cathedral as well.
Three of the giant nails found in the remains of the cathedral were fixed
together to form a cross, a cross that now adorns the altar of the
Frauenkirche; an expression as well of the continuing city partnership
between Coventry and Dresden.
Watching the service on television had me oscillating between highest joy in
admiring the sheer beauty of this reincarnation of the most exquisite
expression of the Baroque -after all this church was originally built during
the life time of JS Bach- and deepest awe felt for the historic
significance of the moment.
60 years after the end of the hell Germany had descended into, todays
proceedings in Dresden have marked the renewed admittance of my country of
origin to the community of nations that work for the benefit of humanity.
The personal healing effect this event has on me I trust is proportionate to
the tears I shed during the simple yet meaningful ritual.
It felt like being in a constellation of a very special kind.
Max
Souldance®
presently Germany
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