62. Jahrestag Luftbrücke Berlin
|
|
|
Foto: © 2011 by Heinz Kessler (v.l.) Jens-U. Müller (Stellv. Vorsitzender), Oberstlt Ludger Osterkamp, Joachim Kiau und Gala von Reichenfels |
Die ersten Bilder: Impressionen...
Fotos: © 2011 by Heinz Kessler
Gedenkrede des BM am 27.08.2011
...englisch
Speech by Mayor Hans-Werner Schlitte held on 27th August 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen,
as Mayor of Fassberg I welcome you on behalf of the Community and Administration to this commemoration of the Berlin Airlift. It began in June 1948 and came to an end for Fassberg on 27th August 1949. From here 540.000 tons of coal were flown to Berlin. This was a logistic masterpiece as the loading and unloading of the planes to a high extent were done by hand.
Our annual ceremony is an occasion to think again what happened more than 60 years ago and when I look at the pictures of the people of different nations who took part in this unique project, I understand that there must have been an enormous will to help the people in the city of Berlin.
One picture with a group of women and a banner saying “Hurra wir leben noch” (“Hurray we are still alive”) gives us an idea of the optimism of the Berliners.
Among other things it was the Airlift that gave the incentive to fight for freedom. The Germans who had survived the war after a dictatorship in its most horrible form, realized how serious the situation was and also that they got a new chance. Only by the countries of the free world working together, could they guarantee the success of the operation and former enemies became friends.Tackling the situation and not grumbling was the motto. Only by doing the job together, the goal could be achieved. This could be an example for us today when we give up too early.
In order to emphasize this fact, we have our Airlift Day here in Fassberg every year when we think with gratefulness of the participants of those nations that prepared the history of the unified Germany. This fact should never be forgotten.
We are very happy that British airlift veterans have come again all the way from Great Britain A warm welcome to the Chairman of the British Berlin Airlift Association, Mr Geoff Smith and Mrs Joyce Rahim, to Mr Colin Cottle and his wife Josie, and to Mr Eric Chambers. On behalf of the Fassberg population I would like to thank you for your wonderful job and engagement in the Airlift. Let me welcome the military representatives of the Airforce Technical School No. III and of the Helicopter Transport Regiment 10 “Lüneburger Heide” and also the vice-chairman of the Fassberg Aiflift Association Mr. Jens-Uwe Müller. I am particularly glad to welcome the painter Mrs Gala von Reichenfels and Mr Joachim Kiau, member of the committee of the Berlin Chapter Airlift Association. After this ceremony, they will present the Fassberg Airlift Association with a painting named “Luftbrücke Royal Airforce”. It is a particular appreciation of the achievements of the British Services during the Airlift.
We are now 62 years after the end of the Airlift and we celebrate the 27th of August on the newly designed “Platz der Luftbrücke” next to the Town Hall in the centre of Fassberg.
The end of the war was dramatic for our village, as due to a few brave men Fassberg and the airbase were not distroyed. That was the chance for a new start leading to an airbase under the Union Jack. The existence of Fassberg has always been closely related with the airbase.
When the newly founded Bundeswehr took over the airbase in 1957, the continued existence of Fassberg was guaranteed. Under the direction of the German Aviation and Space Travel Corporation the testing area in Trauen was also refilled with life. The Bundeswehr kept up the Airlift tradition by building air bridges also today represented by the Helicopter Transport Regiment No. 10 “Lündeburger Heide” stationed at Fassberg for 30 years. Its helicopters helped in several emergencies at home and abroad, for example during many floods in Germany. These special characteristics have led to initiate a Marketing for the extraordinary possibilities in Fassberg, i.e., high technology in connection with nature. For this purpose an arrangement was made with all important firms, politicians and public institutions and organizations symbolized by the Airlift Museum. You will find more information on this subject on the website of our community.
The Berlin Airlift was an important milestone for us all until today and the “never-give-up spirit” of the participants in the Airlift shows that we should not take our prosperity for granted. This should never be forgotten. Therefore we celebrate this commemoration day and support our Airlift Museum.
My thanks go to the Bundeswehr for making the Airlift Museum a Bundeswehr institution and also to the committee and members of the Airlift Association for the constant care and maintenance of the museum.
Now I would like to ask you for a minute’s silence for those 79 American and British servicemen and German civilians who lost their lives during the Airlift.
Thank you.
Stand: 20. Sep. 2011
