May 8th Memorial gathering

It was 75 years ago that the last world war ended on May 8th. For those who are younger, this is a date learned in history classes. There are monuments where memorial services will be held. For many of us there are still personal memories from those days. We want to share such personal memories in a gathering on May 8th. The younger ones want to know how it was, the older ones are wondering, how was it with you? This should be a moment of silent commemoration, no big words or elaborate political speeches.
We are placing ourselves in the long tradition of faith that keeps memories alive so that life can succeed today.
We celebrated Easter three weeks earlier. The Jewish Passover, which is celebrated at the same time, begins with the youngest child’s question: “What distinguishes this night from all others?”. The answer tells the story of the exodus, the liberation from Egypt.
For us Germans, who were liberated from the bondage of the Nazi regime on May 8th, the path to freedom began on May 8th in a quite comparable way.