The second world war, started by Germany, with millions of dead and injured people, endless harm for all nations, where my English is not good enough to describe the blame of my country, was finished 1945.

I was born 4 years later, 1949, and nobody can seriously say, that I am guilty of this or any other crime the Nazis did to the jews and other people in this darkest chapter of German history. Nevertheless I grew up with this blame and I took responsibility for it all this past years and I still do.

At school our teachers told us how bad we have been and what Germany did to the rest of the world and this was good, absolutely necessary in order to prevent such bad things for the future. The knowledge of what Germany did in the past was so deeply impressive for me, that I felt ashamed to be a German.

When I started to travel during my student time (lots of free time) I visited many different countries and I met many people and of course they asked me where I am coming from. When I told them that I am a German I always expected them to turn around and go away, because they do not want to become friend with the son of this guilty nation. Fortunately they did not and I found many new friends and I realized that the world was ready to forgive and to see Germany as it is and not only as it was.

This is something I really appreciated and I also took it as a duty to do my part that Germany will be a good country, open and friendly to foreigners and help others, people and nations to pay back a part of his guilty!

Now we have the year 2014, 69 years have gone and I think it is time not to forget, but to act more self-assured and take more responsibility in the world.

Fortunately our president Mr. Gauck hold a speech at the 50th Munich Security Conference in which he spoke the words I can not find because I am not an author, and these words mirror exactly my opinion, my feelings and therefor I hope that many of you will read what he said:

http://www.bundespraesident.de/SharedDocs/Reden/EN/JoachimGauck/Reden/2014/140131-Munich-Security-Conference.html

Thanks!

Detlef