Links to Oradour-sur-Glane and Mrs. Karin Eideloth, or Dr. Andrea Erkenbrecher
June 10th and 11th, 2024:
"In this place, silence speaks first. Whoever speaks here must do justice to this silence," said Federal President Steinmeier today at the commemoration ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre. "Whoever speaks here senses the authority of the suffering, the victims, and the deep grief. Here, big words become small – they must stand firm in the face of the speechlessness that accompanies great suffering." The Federal President delivered his speech in French.
"It is very courageous people who have allowed us as Germans to be here. And it is courageous people who have begun a special work of reconciliation," said the Federal President. Reconciliation takes place here between people in everyday encounters: "This is a reconciliation that does not forget. But it does not only focus on the past. It is lived in a new present and hopes for a better future. For us Germans and French, the hope for a better future has become reality: the reality of Franco-German friendship."
With a view to the recently concluded elections to the European Parliament, the Federal President emphasized the importance of a united and peaceful Europe: "Let us never forget what nationalism and hatred have wrought in Europe! Let us never forget the miracle of reconciliation achieved by the European Union! Let us protect our united Europe!"
The full speech: https://sohub.io/i6oy
Photos: Federal Government/Denzel
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Be7SC8Kbp/
There can't be a stronger image for reconciliation and friendship between Germany and France! ❤
"Important accompaniment for Steinmeier and Macron
Accompanying them: Karin Eideloth from Germany and Agathe Hébras from France, one granddaughter of one of the perpetrators of 1944, the other granddaughter of one of the few survivors. In between, Macron holds Eideloth's hand, and Steinmeier holds Hébras's hand—another gesture of reconciliation.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Hod5UV5ir/
NO GUILT, BUT RESPONSIBILITY — I met an impressive woman today. Karin Eideloth is the granddaughter of a war criminal. Her grandfather, Adolf Heinrich, was involved in the 1944 Oradour-sur-Glane massacre, in which the German Waffen-SS wiped out almost an entire village and then reduced it to rubble. When Karin Eideloth learned of this almost seven years ago, her previously unaware family was shocked. Nevertheless, she decided to take a courageous path and, step by step, confront this dark part of her family's history.
Today marks exactly 80 years since the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre. At the invitation of President Macron, Federal President Steinmeier traveled to France to commemorate the victims. After the war, the French decided to preserve the destroyed village as it was then, as a memorial. Walking through the ruins is a depressing experience. How must Karin Eideloth feel about it? She accompanied the Federal President to France and spoke with us about why this is the right path for her. And—almost a small miracle—over the years she has spent dealing with her grandfather's guilt, she has found a new friend: Agathe Hebras, the granddaughter of one of the few survivors of Oradour-sur-Glane, who in turn continues the work of her grandfather, Robert Hebras, and keeps the memory of June 10, 1944, alive.
Karin Eideloth and Agathe Hebras. One German, one French. Two Europeans. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇪🇺
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Fr8SvYupp/
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Speech of 10 June 2024 by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier:
Commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre
ZDF report:
Commemoration of the victims of the SS massacre
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07.06.2019:
Federal Agency for Civic Education
https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/hintergrund-aktuell/292407/das-massaker-von-oradour-sur-glane/
08.03.2019:
German War Graves Commission
"My father was guilty!" Interview with the son of a war criminal
https://www.volksbund.de/nachrichten/mein-vater-war-schuldig
08.05.2025:
The prominent place the #Oradour massacre occupies in German remembrance culture today is demonstrated, for example, by the fact that the Logo reporter also traveled there for the article "The Second World War and Us" on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. (08.05.2025)
https://www.zdf.de/play/reportagen/logo-extras-sondersendungen-100/logo-extra-zweiter-weltkrieg-100
2017/2018:
Karen Breece "Oradour", theatre project by the Munich director
https://karenbreece.blogspot.com/p/oradour.html?m=1
https://www.muenchner-feuilleton.de/2018/02/11/karen-breece-oradour-hochx/
