Public
Memory of Josef Schiffer
I was nine years old when the war ended in 1945.
I heard about, then, of a German soldier who had helped and protected the Italian civilian population during the occupation.
Fifty years later, in 1995, tried and found him. It was Josef Schiffer.
He was invited and awarded a gold medal of the City of Aulla (in Lunigiana, Massa Carrara). I have seen how old Aulla Pallerone and remembered him, after more than fifty years, as the celebrated and embraced.
Behind my proposal, received an award from the President of the Italian Republic. Even the President of the Federal Republic of Germany awarded him the civic value.
I made friendship with him, which was many times in Italy, in Turin, where he met the mayor Castellani and the provincial president of the Association of Partisans.
I came to visit him three times in Duesseldorf, and made a speech to Town Hall when it was celebrated in his eighties.
I have written several articles on his human behavior during the civil war. He was "more man soldier."
There are various types of peace. Peace before the war, rather than war, is very good. The peace after the war is good because it stops killing and suffering, but it is the peace of force, not law. The peace that has made Josef Schiffer was the largest: it is peace in the war, despite the war, is friendship instead of enmity, hatred of humanity instead. So
Josef Schiffer, like other German citizens against the Nazis, saved the honor of Germany, who had been offended by the Nazi violence, aided by the Italian fascism.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Gospel according to Matthew 5:9).
Today we thank God and Father of Jesus Christ and all peoples, for the good life of Josef.
entrust Josef, peaceful friend of peace, the merciful love of the Father, which is Life, and gives life.
Peyretti Enrico, Turin
January 16, 2011 ***
0 comments:
Post a Comment