Look Back and Shape the Future

Impressions of the 4th Regional European Senior Citizen Union’s Conference “East” /
by Ulrich Winz

DRESDEN, 9th of May 2009; whoever – like the European Senior Citizen Union – sees freedom, democracy and constitutional legality as sole decent basis of society, must be prepared to fight for such, and no one is too old.
Before the European parliamentary elections, everyone is called upon to explain the benefits of these inviolable principles declared the European Senior Citizen Union’s president, Dr. Worms, in Dresden. The stronger the EPP/German faction in parliament, the greater the chances of renewing courage to come out of the financial and economic crisis with new approaches in social market economics. For vice president Leif Hallberg (Sweden) euro scepticism is the expression of a self-enforced isolation, which can be overcome in trustful discussion with the older generation.

4th ESCU Regional Conference "East", Dresden, May 2009

Photo 1: Reception by the head of the Saxon State Chancellery, Dr. Joachim Beermann (2nd from left), next to him ESCU president Dr. Bernhard Worms.

Presentations and discussions at the European Senior Citizen Union’s regional conference “east” centred, in accordance with the main theme of the conference, on “EUROPE – common HERITAGE – common FUTURE.”
This broad spectrum left room for historical reminiscences, time-critical analyses and proposals for a future united Europe. The date of the conference, 7th to 9th of May, was cause for several speakers to draw a personal balance. Tadeusz Sobolewicz, an 85-year old holocaust survivor, picked up on Bernhard Worms demand for “perception of responsibility.” He would “report on the terrors of national socialist tyranny and defence human dignity at all costs for as long as his legs still carried him.” The previously presented project from mayor Janusz Marszalek, “Hills of reconciliation” in Oświęcim (“Auschwitz” under the Nazis) deserves worldwide support due to its contribution to realisation of the oath of the liberated of 1945. One of the stones to be given a place of honour on the hill in 2011 originates according to Marszalek from the quarry in Flossenbürg (Bavaria) and carries the number 23053, under which Sobolewicz was interred in the concentration camp there, one of six he had to suffer. Further stones are welcome in Oświęcim reiterated the mayor, recently called upon as “President of the European Communities” – and congratulated by Bernhard Worms.

4th ESCU Regional Conference "East", Dresden, May 2009

Photo 2: Janusz Marszalek (Oswiecim) with a stone for the "Hill of Reconciliation" Photo 3: Moderator Dr. Joachim Klose (left) with Silvia Vlachova and Dr. Vaclav Roubal from the Czech Republic

In view of the second theme of the conference, “European CULTURAL TRADITION - adopt, preserve, promote” Sobolewicz quoted from the German poet Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” “All men will be brothers.” The European Senior Citizens Union would do well to continue working toward this goal he exclaimed to the acclaim of an audience from four countries, also including members of the younger generation who would have been keen to hear that Dr. Peter Jahr, a member of the German Bundestag and candidate for the European parliament has a relaxed attitude to generation conflicts. It is simply not true that “age outvotes youth.” He has far greater concerns over the vehemently represented group interests which could develop into a threat to democratic development. With this approach he and his co-candidate Brigitte Wenzel-Perillo, who took the podium after him, have set new tasks for the new legislative term in Brussels and Strasbourg.

With what élan the citizens of Dresden set to work after the inferno of 13th of February 1945 and liberation from National Socialism by the Red Army was made clear by Prof. Dr. Gerhard Glaser with a video presentation. The long-standing Saxon state conservator named as the “four identifying monuments” the bailey, opera, palace and Church of our Lady. These have all been restored, partly only after the peaceful revolution of 1989/90; the relatively quick rebuilding of the four-nave church, home of the world famous boy choir the “Kruzianer” and first usable large church in the inner city was not included by Glaser, as also the cathedral (former catholic Court Church). With due cause he mourned the loss of the church of Sophia, it’s reconstruction being prevented by the state. For centuries, artists from throughout Europe were at work in Dresden and founded the “European cultural tradition.” Today, Dresden enjoys the status of world heritage site.

Through strolls across the Brühlsche terrace and new city market as well as viewing the Church of our Lady and the cathedral with organ concert and service, the visiting conference participants acquired an impression of the various attractions of the Saxon metropolis famous as the “Florence on the Elbe” which was tightly linked with Polish history in the 18th Century (August the Strong).
For the European Senior Citizen Union’s president it was particularly important to lay wreaths at the memorial of the former synagogue and for the victims of the 13th of February 1945 bombing.

The federal minister Dr. Hans Geisler (ret.) is to be thanked for an action leading to the peaceful revolution in Dresden, in representation he called:
“Swords to ploughshares” (1978) and the chains of prayer at the ruins of the Church of Our Lady (1981/82). Ten youths paid at that time for their calls for peaceful demonstrations with prison,  Geisler also stated however, that without the uprising of 17 June 1953 in the German Democratic Republic, the “Charta 77” in Czechoslovakia, and “Solidarność” founded in 1979 in Poland, as well ass Gorbatchov’s “Glasnost and Perestroika” (from the mid eighties) the brave attempts of the citizens of eastern Europe would have remained fruitless.

4th ESCU Regional Conference "East", Dresden, May 2009

Photo 4: Dr. Herbert Wagner (Dresden) describes his experiences of the peaceful revolution. Beside him: Dr.-Ing. Rainer Jork, Federal board of the CDU-Senioren-Union. Photo 5: The delegates from Lithuania (L to R): Romualda Hofertiene, Irena Tumaviciute and Jonas Volungevicius

In his reflections on European cultural traditions Geisler went back to antiquity, which he described as the “source of unique human dignity” to which he included the free and simultaneously responsible research and application of the natural sciences as much as the “rule of law.” So administrative law (which allows control by the state) first introduced in Eastern Europe is seen as a “cultural achievement worth defending.”

How events unfolded for the regime critical actions in Dresden in 1989 was clarified by Dr. Herbert Wagner, Lord Mayor of Dresden from 1990 to 2001. He belonged to the “Group of Twenty” which completed the political change in Dresden in 1989. On the 8th of October, as he remembers, the “spiral of violence was broken” for the first time in a major city which proved motivating for Leipzig and other cities. From depression there was within a few hours hope, joy, expectation. On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of this event, which ultimately led to German reunification, events will be held in 37 German and Czech cities in 2009. On the 9th of October (day of the peaceful demonstration in 1989) the Federal President is expected in Leipzig at a commemoration.

In this context the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, educational institute Dresden deserves to be mentioned. It has not only made this conference possible and presented our moderator in the person of Dr. Joachim Klose, but also rendered outstanding services to a series of presentations running over months. Under the motto of “How did the German Democratic Republic feel?” historical knowledge is disseminated and an attempt to portray conditions between 1949 and 1989 in East Germany through rose-tinted spectacles are resisted.

This topic, still current today, was also turned to by Dr.-Ing. Rainer Jork (Radebeul) in a speech which was not presented due to time limits but which is still available; Dr. Jork is chair of the “New Countries” working group at the CDU senior citizens’ union, is a member of the federal board and the European Senior Citizen Union’s task group “East”. He prepared the speech on-site. (If interested in his speech contact the European Senior Citizen Union’s General Secretariat, Hermann-Seger-Str. 23, D-50226 Frechen; e-mail: esu@cdu.de ; Tel.: 02234 188 418.).

For Silvia Vlachova (Ceske Budejovice /CZ) “a dream came true” in 1989 with the “Velvet Revolution” and in 2004 EU expansion including the Czech Republic. She portrayed the optimistic, conflict rich democratization process of the last twenty years. Her senior citizens’ platform provides political experience for the younger generations and encourages them to resist all indications of neo-Nazism and neo-Communism, and all forms of violence. The events of the year, according to Ms Vlachova – come under the theme of “Europe without Barriers.”

The Union of European Christians in the Czech Republic has been in harmony with the Christian message of the preservation of human dignity from the very beginning. As the chair, European Senior Citizen Union’s vice president Dr. Vaclav Roubal, highlighted, the group feels committed to the work of the Missionaries Cyril and Method from the 9th Century. Practicing solidarity with society’s weak is a matter of honour for senior citizens. They raise their voices in the government council of senior citizens affairs in issues of pensions, health policy and the role of senior citizens in society.

Subsequently Romualda Hofertiene from Vilnius (LT), the “European Cultural Capital 2009,” took the floor, noting that her interpreter, the German studies specialist and travel guide Irena Tumaviciute had to survive almost ten years in Siberia as a child, and her vice president Jonas Volungevicius, also present, spent many years in a soviet GULAG, she also awoke deep sympathy as with the Polish concentration camp survivors at the beginning of the conference.

In the face of such experiences, shared by many thousands in Lithuania, there was no question for Ms Hofertiene to sign the Lithuanian declaration of independence on 11th of March 1990. She had in the meantime become a member of parliament and chair of the Lithuanian teacher’s association. To strengthen democracy in her own and neighbouring countries comes naturally to her, there is an intensive exchange of thoughts and ideas with the Senior Citizens Union in Baden-Württemberg (D), cooperation with the younger generations is a tradition for the senior citizens of the homeland union and Christian democrats.
Hofertiene’s issues for the EU are;

1. publication of a common history textbook
2. broadcast of programmes concerning European history

According to her speech, the situation in her homeland demands a continued battle against communism; its crimes being greater than those of the other dictatorships in the 20th Century.

4th ESCU Regional Conference "East", Dresden, May 2009

Photo 6: Brühl's terrace in Dresden, the "Balcony of Europe". ESCU president Dr. Bernhard Worms (2nd from right) with the district chairman of the Meißen Youth Union, Titus Reime (right), Teofil Stanislawski (Poland) and (left) Ulrich Winz, ESCU coordinator "East", author of this report.

Further highlights of the three-day conference were meetings with the head of the Saxony State Chancellery, Minister Dr. Johannes Beermann, and representatives of the Saxony Association of Commerce. Statement and objection exchanged thoughts on the current political and economic situation, President Dr. Bernhard Worms thanked for the opportunity to present the European Senior Citizens Union, and assured the hosts that our association has great concern for the present and future of the world cultural heritage city of Dresden and its regions.

On the banks of the Elbe conference participants viewed the advanced construction work for the controversial new Waldschlösschen Bridge, which could possibly damage Dresden’s world heritage status.

The regional conference was opened by the evangelic reformist reverend Westing, referring to Paul to the Romans, (“I am not ashamed of Christ’s gospel …”) he gave his blessing to all sincere and decent actions.

The hosting provincial chair of the Saxony senior citizens union, Friederike de Haas, retired minister of state and the member of the regional parliament, described the selection of Dresden for the European Senior Citizen Union’s conference as a great honour and wished great success.

Text: Ulrich Winz, Photos: Dr.-Ing. R. Jork (1, 2); U. Winz (3-6)