# Friends in Germany: You are in are hearts!



## JosefinaHW (Nov 21, 2015)

Friends in Germany, My family and I would like you to know that you are in our hearts and prayers right now.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

I assume you are talking about today's terror attack in Berlin,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...as-market-Berlin-leaving-two-people-dead.html right?


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## JosefinaHW (Nov 21, 2015)

SiegendesLicht said:


> I assume you are talking about today's terror attack in Berlin,
> 
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...as-market-Berlin-leaving-two-people-dead.html right?


Yes, SiegendesLicht. Driver and a passenger in a large truck deliberately drove into a Christmas Market in Berlin. Driver is under arrest. Passenger was killed. At least nine people in the Market were killed and at least 50 are injured. It was reported that the truck had a Polish license plate.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

This is not the first time nor it will be the last. Anyone has any music suggestions appropriate to the ocassion?


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

So sorry to hear of this senseless attack. Prayers for all affected. 

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2016)




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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

So angry to hear about this. I have been to Berlin to the opera on a few occasions and I love the city. This is appalling news.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Sorry to hear such tragic news


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

JosefinaHW said:


> It was reported that the truck had a Polish license plate.


The truck was hijacked, and the Islamic State has already claimed responsibility.

One thing I hope and wish for, is that the Berliners (and the rest of Germany) will show a tough front and not give in to panic. These are dark times for sure, but they as a nation have been through much worse and have not had their spirit broken.


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## Retrograde Inversion (Nov 27, 2016)

SiegendesLicht said:


> This is not the first time nor it will be the last. Anyone has any music suggestions appropriate to the ocassion?


Although I in no way doubt the sincerity of the above musical offerings, I find myself wondering in times such as these, whether music really ought to be a part of our primary responses. Our reactions to such acts of barbarity will range from outrage towards the perpetrators to compassion for the victims, but also, hopefully, a thoughtful reflection on what has happened and why, as well as a very well considered set of actions in response. I believe that ultimately, it is the latter, more reasoned approach that must govern our response. Music may have the emotional power to provide consolation, but calm rationality remains our only true hope of finding a way towards any possibility of a more peaceful and civilised future. I therefore offer, in no ironic spirit (and indeed in a very different one than it was originally intended), the following:


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## SarahNorthman (Nov 19, 2014)

JosefinaHW said:


> Yes, SiegendesLicht. Driver and a passenger in a large truck deliberately drove into a Christmas Market in Berlin. Driver is under arrest. Passenger was killed. At least nine people in the Market were killed and at least 50 are injured. It was reported that the truck had a Polish license plate.


This is just terrible! I had no idea.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Yes, awful news

I hope that we all have sympathy for the many thousands who have suffered in Aleppo (and many other places) in recent days too.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Very sorry indeed to hear this terrible news from Germany.



Headphone Hermit said:


> Yes, awful news
> 
> I hope that we all have sympathy for the many thousands who have suffered in Aleppo (and many other places) in recent days too.


Yes indeed. So much tragedy in the world.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

I am thinking about what to say to my fiance regarding this. Just last evening we were talking on skype about how I should go to Berlin on a train after I get my residence permit, and he would take me home to Hamburg from there so I don't have to change trains with all the heavy stuff. And then he had to reboot his computer, and meanwhile I opened TC and saw this thread at once. I did not have the guts to tell him that while we were talking about meeting in Berlin, people were dying there - but of course by tonight he will know. When we first became a couple, he was a very proud German. Now he has become just very pessimistic about the future, not just of Germany, but civilization in general. And when I tried to cheer him up after last summer's terror attacks in Bavaria, he only descended deeper into doom and gloom...


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Morgen by Richard Strauss


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

What a despicable deed. How sad. And I first learned of this Christmas Market yesterday on the Christmas thread here. Are we going to have to have truck barriers around every public outdoor venue?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> What a despicable deed. How sad. And I first learned of this Christmas Market yesterday on the Christmas thread here. Are we going to have to have truck barriers around every public outdoor venue?


Yep, they do that in our country on the moment by public events.


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

It was sad and shocking news about the attack. The only way to stop this is to embrace the very spirit of Christmas! Let there be "Peace on earth"!


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

So far it's been a very one-sided appeal for peace: one side pleads for peace, and the other side laughs and kills some more.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

What I also find despairing is that such atrocities are being committed or attempted by these unhinged zealots on such a regular basis that there is a danger of becoming almost desensitised to them.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I hope Europeans come to stronger terms with the frailty of life. It's not so much fear and paranoia that should drive them now, but more like a sobering thought... that any day could be your last. You could be walking down the street and happen to be in a crowded area... and this could happen again. This is a truly anarchistic situation. I'm afraid there are no simple ways to console our society after something like this. Nor would I call this senseless violence. I do think there was a _lot _of logic behind the attack, _reasons _to kill. Most evil is done this way. But love is irrational, illogical... and that's why we must keep loving.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> I hope Europeans come to stronger terms with the frailty of life. It's not so much fear and paranoia that should drive them now, but more like a sobering thought... that any day could be your last. You could be walking down the street and happen to be in a crowded area... and this could happen again. This is a truly anarchistic situation. I'm afraid there are no simple ways to console our society after something like this. Nor would I call this senseless violence. I do think there was a _lot _of logic behind the attack, _reasons _to kill. Most evil is done this way. But love is irrational, illogical... and that's why we must keep loving.


I admire these words, alas we are past that point I think, sadly enough.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Pugg said:


> I admire these words, alas we are past that point I think, sadly enough.


If we are not able to give some love to our "enemies" at least we can be a witness to them that we are _not _like them, and love each other all the more. Then again, the best witness is to do something they don't expect. Still........... justice must be done, somehow.


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## JosefinaHW (Nov 21, 2015)

SiegendesLicht said:


> I am thinking about what to say to my fiance regarding this. Just last evening we were talking on skype about how I should go to Berlin on a train after I get my residence permit, and he would take me home to Hamburg from there so I don't have to change trains with all the heavy stuff. And then he had to reboot his computer, and meanwhile I opened TC and saw this thread at once. I did not have the guts to tell him that while we were talking about meeting in Berlin, people were dying there - but of course by tonight he will know. When we first became a couple, he was a very proud German. Now he has become just very pessimistic about the future, not just of Germany, but civilization in general. And when I tried to cheer him up after last summer's terror attacks in Bavaria, he only descended deeper into doom and gloom...


Dear SiegendesLicht, my humble opinion is that your fiance should be very proud to be German; the situation could have resulted in a lot more casualties if the German police (and other German security forces) had not been so vigilant and prepared. From what I have watched and read they have prevented similar attacks recently, ambulances and rescue teams arrive extremely quickly and are very efficient, they are exceptionally organized in updating/warning/protecting/evacuating people in the surrounding areas, etc., etc.. I admire them greatly.

I was also very touched and impressed by the Facebook comments to the Berlin Philharmonic's post re/ the recent event in Berlin. Many people posted that "they *stand with* the people of Germany". That conveys to me that people are not beaten down by fear; they stand courageous and ready.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

One of the greatest honours a people can have is when someone outside makes an opera about them here is Giacomo Puccini´s first opera Le Villi in German an opera set in Germany about Anna a girl who gets abandoned and dies of sorrow:






And since it is nice with moving images here is a clip from the Japanese premier of Le Villi in 1986 with Atsuko Azuma as Anna:


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