The vestiges of WWII are present and real in Germany. High schoolers in the US only read about something remote and unthinkable. Here in Germany, like in France where Luis and I were just 2 days ago, the reminders are everywhere.
I went to Mass this morning in Stuttgart city center in a very modern, polished marble Catholic St. Eberhard church. Though I didn’t understand the language, I knew the rhythm of Mass and could discern the building design was from the 1950s. The church from the 1800 was bombed by the Allies to smithereens.
Luis, our son, Miguel, and I took the Sunday afternoon to visit the Mercedes Benz museum. What a phenomenal, world class museum both in design as well as content. I felt pride that my baby has found a place in this world as an engineer.
His work for MB is with the racing division AMG and the assignment is only through next February.
Through the documentation of the company as well as the social and political context for the company, we learned the interwoven aspects of the car maker and transportation and world events. This was both sobering as well as intriguing.
After a quick snack in the inexpensive (surprise!) snack bar, we meandered through the decidedly not inexpensive gift store.
Afterwards we hiked up a mountain in the beautiful suburbs of Stuttgart finding ourselves at a lookout over the valleys.
We use our various phones and signage to teach us that the whole mountain we climbed up was made of the rubble from the decimated city.
After a day like today, I am reminded about how world politics, culture, religion and industry are tied together not just in the past but today. Our current president is busy bashing the German president and other friends and I wonder where it will end.
Enough of my criticism of Trump, because it will not end. Instead on to say that I have found the Germans I’ve interacted with accommodating that I don’t speak German and helpful if I ask for it. Stuttgart seems to have a very young population with many international people here for work, just like Miguel. Weaving together the events of the day: I pray for peace and international cooperation and a healing of the damage of wars past.
~Rosana
Ordinary Gente 