Author: web1647

By students for students – so we never forget

Barth – On 27 January 2026, a commemorative event was held in Barth to mark the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism and focused on reflection and responsibility for the future. The event was organised in cooperation between the DOK Association Barth and Barth Secondary School Centre. Most of the guests were school students, accompanied by their teachers. Also attending were District Administrator Dr. Stefan Kerth, City President Andi Wallis, and Mayor Friedrich-Carl Hellwig.

The young people were at the centre of the event and shaped the programme in their own unique way. Following the opening address by Christiane Schuldt and the District Administrator’s inspiring words, a student took the floor to share her reflections on the significance of this date and to express her concerns about the future. She concluded her speech with a clear appeal, emphasising in particular that young people have a responsibility to help shape the future.

Afterwards, several school students shared their reflections on this day of remembrance. They presented their experiences from a study trip to the Auschwitz Memorial. In their own words, they described their impressions of the historic site, which, like few others, stands as a testament to the systematic extermination of millions of persecuted people by the Nazi regime. Their accounts reflected on how confronting the traces of the Holocaust had affected them and conveyed their emotional responses to the entire audience.

These accounts were complemented by literary and musical performances. School students recited the poems “O die Schornsteine” by Nelly Sachs (Oh-the-chimneys) and “Sch’ma” by Primo Levi, two powerful works that lent the event literary depth as well as a personal and universal dimension. Musically, the event was accompanied by harp melodies and piano pieces. In addition, the student choir sang two songs, including “Die Moorsoldaten” (the bog soldiers) and “Die Gedanken sind frei” (Our thoughts are free), whose lyrics reflect on the period of National Socialism. The music created a dignified setting and underscored the atmosphere of shared reflection.

Given the increasing passage of time and the dwindling number of eyewitnesses, an active culture of remembrance among younger generations is becoming ever more significant. The event made it clear that remembrance is also close to the hearts of young people and represents a responsibility for both the present and the future. The students’ commitment demonstrated how important it is to keep history alive and to stand against forgetting, so that we may look towards a more just and peaceful future.

Stella Menge

Senior school student at Barth Secondary School

Visit by Barbara Jane Hannon to the DOK on 24.10.2023

Barbara, a lady from Iowa, came to the DOK unannounced and was shown around the exhibition by her colleague from reception. Like Tom Dolan, she came to Barth by chance and knew nothing about the DOK and the memorials beforehand. By chance, I also came to the DOK shortly afterwards and met her there, walking through the exhibition with great emotion. I offered her a guided tour, during which she told me that her father, Lt. Georg Hannon, was a navigator in a B17 bomber and had to bail out on January 11, 1944 near Aschersleben after being shot at by German fighters. He then came to Barth via the DuLag in Oberusel.

After a tour of the DOK and the Stalag memorial and airfield, she gave me her book, Letters from World War II, which she also signed. It is about her parents. She had just successfully presented it at the Frankfurt Book Fair. It contains a lot of information about Georg’s time in the USAAF and in the Stalag. The many copies of original documents that her father brought home are particularly interesting. Some things I didn’t know before, for example that letters from relatives always came to Barth via Stalag Luft III (Sagan), while the parcels were delivered directly to Stalag Luft I.

Set against the backdrop of a world at war, “Letters from World War II” is a gripping tale that weaves together the experiences of Hannon’s parents with the historical events that shaped their destinies. At the heart of the story is the incredible bond between a courageous Navigator, Hannon’s father, who fearlessly took to the skies on daring bombing missions over Germany, and a resilient mother, whose unwavering support and love sustained him from afar.

The narrative takes an exhilarating turn when fate intervenes, and the Navigator is shot down, becoming a Prisoner of War in the hands of the Germans. Through the letters they exchanged, a vivid and intimate account of their emotions, struggles, and hopes emerges, painting a vivid portrait of the challenges faced by the couple and an entire generation caught in the throes of global conflict.

“Letters from World War II” is a window into a world marked by sacrifice, courage, and an unbreakable spirit. From a treasure trove of authentic letters, historical war telegrams, and meticulously preserved documents, Hannon’s work is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the unyielding human spirit. (https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=311268)