Even exactly one year after the beginning of the war, the grief is great.
Frankfurt. Vanja (7) has drawn a picture that she is holding on a stick. It features a waving Ukrainian flag and a crossed-out Russian flag with a tank. Below is a camouflage boot that steps on a head in profile. Blood runs from the nose and mouth. “Run, Vanja, run” is written underneath. “Run, Vanya, run”. In May last year, the girl fled the war with her grandmother. they ran Her uncle (17) was able to escape in November. “After 100 days in the cellar. Fear of Russian soldiers. He doesn’t speak anymore, he still doesn’t sleep well,” says Vanja’s grandmother with tears in her eyes. As with so many who meet at the Alte Oper. “A year of senseless war against men, women, children, families. Against democracy and humanity,” complains the speaker.
Swastikas will not be tolerated
Posters read “Freedom for Ukraine”, “Stop Putin”, “Stop War!”, “Solidarity with Ukraine”. A man is led from the square by the police with a poster. The organizers didn’t manage to get him to take the poster away. “Nazi turd Putin. Our Father, if you are in heaven, then exterminate this beast of Satan!” is written on it, swastikas can be seen next to Putin’s likeness. “We don’t want any anti-constitutional symbols here,” the demo participants told him. Michael Gahler (CDU) from Hattersheim is a political reporter in the European Parliament and promises that “we will support Ukraine. With everything we have and as long as it takes.” “Thank you, thank you, thank you Germany,” shout the mostly female participants, who wear wreaths of flowers in their hair and kajal around their eyes in blue and yellow, or stars and little hearts in Ukrainian colors. Michael Rubin (FDP) from the “Frankfurt for Ukraine” alliance is himself a Belarusian. He assures that “everything will be done to ensure that no war is waged against Ukraine from Belarus”. He, too, gets applause before the 2,500 people set off in the direction of Römerberg. With posters and a wide strip of fabric in the colors of Ukraine, under which children and adults parade through the streets. “Russia kills children,” they shout. “Stop the genocide”, “Ukraine is Europe”, “Weapons for Ukraine” and again and again “Slava Ukraini”, “Thank you Frankfurt”, “Thank you Germany”.
Some eyes are dull and empty, in others there are tears, in some there is hope when the Ukrainian anthem or the song “Chervona Kalina”, a song about the berries of the red viburnum tree, is sung. Despite grief, bad experiences and many personal losses, people are friendly. Loud to raise their voice against the insanity of this war of aggression, gentle in dealing with each other. Hands are held, those who cry are hugged and comforted. Jumas Medoff from the municipal representation for foreigners is married to a Ukrainian. “It was a difficult year for all of us. This war is also against democracy and all of our values,” he says. “We all have to stick together and support each other. We must not let the largest country in Europe die.” 2,500 people kneel down on the Römerberg. A minute’s silence for the victims of the war. The long blue and yellow ribbon surrounds the participants before a flash mob begins. The people are holding paper in blue, yellow and red. “Germany and Ukraine together” they shout. Vanja keeps holding up her picture. “It’s nice here, but my friends are at home. I wish it would go back to how it was,” she says softly. “Slava Ukraini!” Sabine Schramek
