War leaves a shambels

When something breaks, it loses its value and purpose.

Sometimes, however, it is well worth a new determination and to find new meaning.

The displayed shards represent the shambles and shards that a war leaves behind. Please refer to the attached text for the intention of this action.

In February 2023

Unbelievable, but the war is still raging in Ukraine. Soon it will be the anniversary of the beginning of the ATTACKING WAR of Russia against Ukraine. I take this as an opportunity to talk about my project that I started in 2022:

Someone's Child

 The project is to engrave and cut little shards of glass with a reminder on them that the people that die in war are someone’s loved one. I chose English as international language.

I started thinking about this project in in June 2022:
The war in Ukraine had already lasted four endless long months.

Almost daily, my evening walk with my dog had taken me past the soviet cemetery in Altwarp and had caused me to wonder---does the war in Ukraine and these people buried in this soviet cemetery have anything in common? On first thought, I think, “No.”

But people die because dictators perceive war and killing as legitimate means to enforce their ideologies and political ideas.

I ponder, the bad Russians started this war, but the people, not only Russians, by the way, who are buried here in this cemetery have nothing to do with the Russians who are killing the people of Ukraine. However, on second thought, I think, “Maybe they do”?

First of all, once they have been fighting side by side. Now Putin is attacking the Ukraine.

Was it the old fear of an overpowering Western World that drove Putin to reduce an entire country to rubble? I cannot believe that. No, I think Putin wants his place in history like other dictators. Putin wants to be immortal and unforgotten.
It doesn’t matter if it's a good or a horrible memory. People talk a lot more about Stalin and Hitler than about Mother Theresa or St. Francis. A real place in the memory of mankind can only be gained through cruel deeds.

These people buried here have only been soldier and forced laborers.
So, I asked myself: "Have the dead in the soviet cemetery in Altwarp left traces in the memory of mankind?"

You walk past graves--no names, no pictures, nothing. Now and then, a lone plastic rose as proof that someone had been looking for someone here and remembered them. Here lie sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. Here lie people, people who had wanted to live full lives, who had not wanted  to die in forced labor camps, and who might have been able to do great things if they hadn't starved to death or died of cholera. Here lie fathers who would have liked to see their children grow up, sons who would have visited their mothers when they were old, and brothers who would have taught their little sisters how to climb trees.

Each Cross on every honorary cemetery in this world stands for an unlived life.

Just as people die by war today, these nameless died during a war here and nothing human remains, just a seemingly empty grave. This is the result of the war. But everyone lying here was "someone's child".

My goal is to give them back their humanity. Perhaps, if we know there is an actual child lying here, “someone’s child”, or “someone’s father or mother”, perhaps then, these lifeless graves will speak out to warn us that war does not bring anything good.

It could be your father or your brother.

War makes no sense except to focus on people who don't deserve it.

(c) Angelika Schäfer, editor Dr. Deniz Atalay  

The last dance

Hey Mr. Putin I hope you are sure and safe,
while your young soldiers fight so brave.

You sit and give us a content smile,
while the first ones have to learn braille.

You think you can win at first glance
but beware of the nightly dance.

They will dance in your dream,
soldiers with burns that still steam,

without arms or only one leg,
they will come and dance on your bed.

The headless will dance kasatschok
the once with PTB will surely rock

for the rest of their lives.

Mr. Putin, I hope you are sure and safe,
while your soldiers dance on the graves

of little babies and their devasted mothers,
of fighting sisters and struggling brothers.

You think you can win this mission of peace
oh Mr. Putin are you so stupid, please?

You lost when you gave up what we stand for
integrity, love, moral, order and law

The dancers will visit your bed every night
they don’t care about your meaningless fight

They lost their arms and legs and eyes
and many already their innocent lives.

Let’s dance Mr. Putin