This summer we had just returned from Munich when we witnessed in agony the events unfold in the Munich shooting rampage close to the Olympic village. Desperately we were trying to get a hold of all our family and friends over there making sure that they were safe. Munich and with it all Germany felt under attack. As it turned out the tragic event hadn’t been a terror attack after all, but the Germans’ ‘heile Welt‘ (sheltered/perfect world) did not feel that ‘heil‘ anymore. We learned that despite all precautions (Germany was on high alert) we, Germany, was still vulnerable after all.
This week on December 19th, 2016, a truck ploughed in the evening hours through a crowd of people at a Christmas market taking down wooden stalls and Christmas trees. Twelve people died and fifty people are injured.
This time it was real! Berlin had been under attack by a terrorist.
When asked, many Berliners despite still in shock over this tragedy, mention that this was just a matter of time. “We all were aware that something could happen anytime…” And, as we have learned this year, this is something that can happen anywhere in Europe and the world for that matter.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all, who have lost family and friends in Berlin’s terrible tragedy of this week!
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Recent Updates and Voices:
Süddeutsche: “Deutschland ist nicht im Krieg”
Spiegel Online: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/attack-in-berlin-anis-amri-the-suspected-perpetrator-in-berlin-a-1127085.html
Süddeutsche – Internationale Pressestimmen: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/medien/presseschau-zum-anschlag-in-berlin-deutschland-und-europa-sind-zu-fettleibig-um-den-weckruf-zu-hoeren-1.3304386
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