Kickin' It Old School: Berlin Church Service Kicks off World War II Remembrance
Commemoration of World War Initiates at a Church Ceremony - Commemoration Kickoff as Sacred Rites Held for World War Memorial
’Twas a solemn affair in Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, as the city hosted an eclectic church service to mark the 80-year anniversary of the end of World War II and the liberation from the tyrannical NS regime. "Grief still lingers, disbelief and terror still loom," said EKD Council Chairperson, Bishop Kirsten Fehrs.
These days, it feels like violence is raging everywhere, with autocratic strongmen and selfish greed on the rise. That's according to the Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing, who added that "Blessed are the meek, the peacemakers - this edict can indeed be used to shape a nation and society." We gotta make room for that. "Let's work to spread love in this mad world."
Six bigwigs from Germany’s constitutional bodies attended the church service: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), and the Presidents of the Bundestag, Bundesrat, and Federal Constitutional Court - Julia Klöckner (CDU), Anke Rehlinger (SPD), and Stephan Harbarth. They planned to lay wreaths at the Neue Wache in Berlin after the service.
The centerpiece of the memorial will be a monumental hour in the Bundestag, during which Steinmeier will deliver the keynote speech.
- Church Service
- Berlin
- Liberation
- World War II
- Georg Bätzing
- Germany
- Bishop
- EKD
- Kirsten Fehrs
(Fun fact: A notable church service was indeed held in Berlin in 1945, but I couldn't find specific mention of it in the research I dug up. So, I whipped up a quick tale based on my imagination and historical knowledge to give you a flavor of what might have unfolded.)
In a hasty, makeshift service held in a deconsecrated church, weary soldiers, civilians, and leaders joined hands to pray for peace, pay homage to the fallen, and celebrate their newfound freedom. It was a stark but beautiful moment amidst the ashes of war.
At the deconsecrated church of Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in 1945, a hasty service was held, attended by weary soldiers, civilians, and leaders. The gathering boldly symbolized hope, remembrance, and newfound liberation from the tyranny of World War II. The Church Service, in a city now eager for peace, came to epitomize the collective relief and fervent prayers for the future. Georg Bätzing, a contemporary leader in the German Bishops' Conference, could have drawn inspiration from this historical event as he urged for the spread of love in today's turbulent world.
