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Show volkstrauertag' HILL TOP TIMES November 20, 19S7 ,3 t N Jimm ' V .J 7 1M ""sssiF 0 J ,U.S. Air Force Photos by Ralph C. Jensen national day of mourning Members of the Utah German community pause to remember the dead of World War I and II. Capt. Bernd Suess, German Air Force (ret), and Herwig Glandner, consul of the . Federal Republic of Germany, center of photo are part of the gathering that reflect on the past. "Volkstrauertag"... A '?") Words of commemoration Co. Joerg Hilpert addresses a crowd of more than 85 people who attended the German National Day of Mourning at Fort Douglas Cemetery in Salt Lake City. Lf. BR Germans honor dead, call for reconciliation By Ralph C. Jensen Ogden w. ;S.f54 Si 3.,lrS .." J. -- o,r., POWs remembered Lf. Col. Joerg Hilpert and his wife, Karin, lead the group of mourners to German soldiers' gravesites. ALC Public Affairs oltetLLSto of World War II POWs. Zapfe, place flowers on the graves WV Office Remembering the fallen and victims of war is not taken lightly by Germans, even if thousands of miles from home. Members of the Ogden Air Logistics Center German air force liaison office commemorated heroes of past wars last Sunday at the Fort Douglas Cemetery in Salt Lake City. The Sunday morning ceremony is remembered t as "Volkstrauertag," the German equivalent of the American Memorial Day. More than 85 people assembled to honor the German National Day of Mourning. Lt. Col. Joerg D. Hilpert, German liaison officer at Hill AFB, took charge of the ceremonies which are traditionally held on the second Sunday before Advent the day Germans honor their dead. "In memory of the horrible events of the second world war, it is our duty to find ways that enable a friendly existence by paying attention to the dignity of your neighbor and by toleratwe are ing others," said Colonel Hilpert. "Today, not trying to put the past behind us. That is virtually impossible. That cannot be changed or erased. "But, he who closes his eyes to the past becomes blind to the present. He who will not want to remember the inhumanity will be weak to be struck by it again. We Germans have learned Flowers for the fall Karin Hilpert and Bke Zapfe, wife V I ye from the past," he said. The officers and enlisted from Hill decorated the graves of German soldiers who sacrificed their lives during both wars, placing flowers ona the graves of World War II servicemen and I wreath at the resting place of World War in Utah. The prisoners of war who perished with members officers gathered at the cemetery Lake in Salt of the German community who live City to honor the dead soldiers. "We see Americans and Germans gathered here, soldiers and citizens, people who once were . -1 i '5 'f--c Honoring fallen warriors SSgf. Michael Hass carries a wreath of flowers to be placed at the final resting place of German soldiers. adversaries and now are allies and friends," said the colonel. "We now stand together in commemorating the victims of war and violence. "But we also commemorate, without "any difference between men, those victims of war and violence. The names of the fallen in Fort Douglas are demanding peace. They also ask us not to forget the death they have suffered that it may not happen once again," he said. Colonel Hilpert concluded by saying German people mourn with the families and friends of the fallen and dead from the world wars. "We mourn, but we live with the hope of reconciliation of the people, for peace in the world." said Colonel Hilpert. German soldiers are buried at Fort died while prisoner of war during Douglas I 20 during the second world war. and World War Eight of the soldiers were killed in their sleep at a POW camp in Salina. Utah, when a guard went berserk, firing a machine gun into the prisoners' tent, July 8. 1945. about two months after Germany surrendered to Allied forces. Forty-on- e 21 ' |