Weekend Stories
I enjoy going exploring on weekends (mostly). Here is a collection of stories and photos I gather along the way. All posts are CC BY-NC-SA licensed unless otherwise stated. Feel free to share, remix, and adapt the content as long as you give appropriate credit and distribute your contributions under the same license.
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A Zen-Buddhist interpretation of the ‘Kölsches Grundgesetz’
Zen op Kölsch – I recently discovered a small booklet by Michael Wittschier, who interpreted the so-called ‘Kölsches Grundgesetz’ in a Taoist way. Taoism is a philosophical tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the Dào, a term that can be translated as ‘the way’, ‘the path’, or ‘the way of nature’. Wittschier’s interpretation is a very interesting read and I couldn’t resist to buy the booklet. However, I also thought that it would by an interesting experiment to interpret the ‘Kölsches Grundgesetz’ in a Zen-Buddhist way. So, here we go.
The Ratlines: Post-war escape networks for Nazis and fascists – with the complicity of the Catholic Church
The Ratlines were clandestine escape routes established after World War II to facilitate the flight of high-ranking Nazi officials, collaborators, and other war criminals from Europe. These networks allowed some of history’s most notorious figures, responsible for orchestrating the Holocaust and other atrocities, to evade justice. Operating in the shadowy aftermath of the war, the Ratlines exposed a complex interplay of geopolitical interests, ideological sympathies, and institutional complicity. In this post, we briefly explore the origins, key figures, and ethical implications of the Ratlines, focusing on the controversial role of the Catholic Church in enabling these escapes.
Collaboration with devils: The Catholic Church and totalitarian regimes in the 1930s
The Catholic Church’s relationship with totalitarian regimes during the 20th century reveals a complex interplay of pragmatism, institutional survival, and moral failure. Among the most controversial instances of this interaction is the Reichskonkordat, signed between the Vatican and Nazi Germany in 1933. This agreement, which lent a measure of legitimacy to Adolf Hitler’s regime, epitomizes the Church’s willingness to compromise with dictatorial powers to secure its institutional interests. However, this was not an isolated incident; the Vatican also reached similar accommodations with Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime in Italy and Francisco Franco’s Nationalist government in Spain. These alliances raise critical questions about the Church’s priorities and its complicity in enabling authoritarian rule.
Paragraph 175
For over a century, Paragraph 175 of the German Criminal Code represented the legal persecution of homosexual men in Germany. Originally introduced in 1871, it was not merely a statute but a symbol of systemic discrimination that endured through various political regimes, including the devastating intensification under the Nazis. Its impact continued long after World War II, with postwar Germany carrying forward its oppressive legacy until its final repeal in 1994. This article examines the history of Paragraph 175, its chilling effects on LGBTQ+ lives, and the long road to justice for its victims.
Magnus Hirschfeld and Germany’s pioneering role in LGBTQ+ rights
Long before the Stonewall Riots ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, Germany was a global pioneer in advancing understanding, acceptance, and advocacy for sexual minorities. At the heart of this movement was the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft (Institute for Sexual Science), founded by the visionary Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld in 1919. In this posts, we explore Germany’s early contributions to LGBTQ+ rights, the devastating impact of the Nazi regime on this progress, and the lasting consequences of the persecution faced by homosexuals during the Third Reich.
Stumbling upon history: The Stolpersteine project and its role in remembering Nazi victims
In European and particularly German cities, you may encounter brass plaques, known as ‘Stolpersteine’ or ‘stumbling stones’, embedded in pavements in front of buildings. Inscribed with names and dates, these plaques memorialize victims of the Nazi regime at their last known addresses, serving as a poignant reminder of the individual lives lost during this dark period in Germany and our collective history and responsibility.
Consequences of the war for the people of Cologne
The devastation of World War II left a profound impact on the people of Cologne, reshaping the city and its community in ways that would be felt for generations. As one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany, Cologne endured near-total destruction of its infrastructure, economy, and cultural landmarks. Beyond the physical devastation, the war brought profound social, economic, and psychological consequences for the city’s inhabitants, challenging their resilience as they worked to rebuild their lives and community.
Acts of resistance in Cologne against the Nazi regime
The Nazi regime sought to establish absolute control over Germany, enforcing its ideology through propaganda, legislation, and violence. Despite the immense risks, individuals and groups across the country resisted, determined to oppose oppression and fight for a more just society. Cologne, a historic city with a strong sense of community, became a focal point for numerous resistance efforts. This article explores some of the diverse acts of defiance in Cologne, where individuals from various backgrounds and beliefs stood against the Third Reich, often at great personal cost. Much of this information is based on sources provided by the NS Documentation Center, El-De Haus in Cologne, which I visited recently.
Youth resistance groups in Cologne against the Nazi regime
‘Resistance’ under the Nazi regime often evokes images of organized military operations or clandestine political movements. However, throughout Germany, and especially in cities like Cologne, resistance also took root in less expected places: among the youth. Defying the rigid conformity demanded by the Nazis, many young people in Cologne organized into resistance groups, using whatever means they had to express their opposition to a regime that demanded obedience and submission. These youth resistance groups, often informal and decentralized, expressed their defiance in ways ranging from subtle acts of nonconformity to bold public protests. In this post, I highlight some of the most prominent youth groups in Cologne that opposed the Nazis, as presented in the El-De Haus exhibition. Their stories offer insight into the courage and resilience of the young people who resisted the oppressive Nazi regime.
Persecution of homosexuals under the Nazi regime
‘Forgotten victims’ are those who were ostracized and persecuted during the Nazi era, but whose suffering continued beyond 1945. Even after the Nazi defeat, these individuals remained shunned and discriminated against, denied moral recognition as victims, official rehabilitation, and financial compensation. A special exhibition in the El-De Haus pays tribute to these victim groups and their suffering. Homosexuals were one of the groups that were persecuted. In this post, I summarize their plight as conveyed through my recent visit to the El-De Haus.