The Kids in the Rubble: The educational tour that makes me opine on the possibility the U. S. is on the brink of re-living aspects of 1940s Germany

Introduction

This essay relays two related narratives (stories) I learned while on an educational tour of Cologne, (Köln) Germany in May 2018, which was one activity on the itinerary of a 10-day workshop. These stories were narrated by the tour guide; however, they are not just regular stories you would learn on a tour of a city. One thing she articulated was so profound, it was constantly being replayed in my thoughts. She said, “Be careful of what is happening in the U.S. because, Hitler started the same way, first saying the media was fake news!” When I arrived back home, I wrote a synopsis of what the tour guide told us on Facebook, because I was awed with these stories, which are specifically relevant to dangerous demagoguery being espoused by the current administration and specifically the 45^th President of the United States. I had Chills all over my body as I listened to the tour guide; thus, the nightmares I am currently experiencing worries me greatly, because what I learned on that tour in 2018 relates “prophetically” to three recent events, and specifically events regarding the media and journalism. Consequently, I have been playing these questions over and over in my head: Could it be that we are on a trajectory to revive some aspects of Germany in the 1940s? As I watch the current events, such as: The kids in cages at the border; the clearing of peaceful protestors at Lafayette Park; the firing of the Board of Voice of America (VOA); the repeated denigrating of the media as ‘fake news,’ etc. I decided I cannot remain silent; I had to share these narratives with whomever will listen and act!

Overview of the Workshop

In spring 2018, I applied for and was granted a scholarship opportunity to attend the The Global Challenges of a Sustainable Development workshop at the European Academy of Otzenhausen, Germany. It was my goal to use what I learned in the workshop in the following manner: (1) in an ongoing study about how businesses are embracing environmental issues; (2) to develop a case-study on the cost-benefit effects of businesses implementing sustainability reporting initiatives. From the moment we left the airport in Atlanta to the moment we arrived back in Atlanta this opportunity was a remarkable experience. I learned a lot of information about global sustainability issues; I met some of the most prolific authors and proponents of such initiatives. The workshop events: lectures, field trips, meals, etc., were well organized and appropriate for our level of expertise. Some of the highlights for me were the visits to the wind panels and turbines and a Community Sustainability Association (CSA) farm. These relate to using natural resources to help mitigate the negative effects of climate change and promote sustainability for our future. I was very intrigued while learning about the return on energy and investment [ROE (I)] in these natural sources of energy; these are based on quantitative and cost values. The tour of the Pump Storage Station in Vianden, Luxemburg and the visit and lecture at the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy were also interesting and very educational. I learned about the CO2 emission of fossil fuel, coal, versus that of natural gas and uranium. Nevertheless, the tours of the WWII underground bunkers and to the city of Cologne were the most fascinating; they gave me a sobering effect of wars. This essay relates two specific incidences told to us by our Cologne tour guide.

Cologne (German Köln)

Cologne (German Köln) is the fourth largest city in Germany[1] and largest city of the Land (state) of North Rhine–Westphalia. It is one of the key inland ports of Europe, it is the historic, cultural, and economic capital of the Rhineland. Cologne’s commercial importance grew out of its position at the point where the huge traffic artery of the Rhine (German: Rhein) River intersected one of the major land routes for trade between western and eastern Europe. In the Middle Ages, it became an ecclesiastical center of significance for art and learning. Cologne’s rich and varied heritage were still evident when I visited this beautiful city in 2018. According to our tour guide, the city was almost completely destroyed during World War II. Its iconic landmark and symbolic cathedral, is the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.

Narrative 1

When we began our tour that day it was raining. I recall running into a nearby store to get an umbrella, as we waited for everyone to join the tour and the guide. I was so excited to learn about this beautiful city, thinking it was going to be a great day of learning about each iconic building. We waited on the stairs in the center square of the city the tour guide arrived, and she started to relay some basic history of the square. As we walked on slowly, the tour guide relayed the history of various buildings, historic sites, streets, etc. I listened keenly to her lessons about the square and its historical significance, etc. when we got to the top steps of the stairs in the square she stopped and pointed to a building across the street, she said, “That building was the site of one of the radio station, when radio was invented, they would broadcast from various places around the world; the station was sponsored by the United States Public Broadcasting.” I was fascinated by this, so I drew closer to her to make certain I heard every word she was saying. Then came the bombshell statement. She said, “That was one of the first thing Hitler began to do, he began to say that the radio, and news broadcasting [from it] was fake news!” I said, “Wow,” she heard me say wow, she then turned and said, “We here are very concerned about what is happening in America now when I hear your President say your news reports are fake news!” I was so awed by this, because I was thinking oh wow, people in other countries are observing what is happening in the U. S.

What she observed was objectively what we in the U. S. were also observing since the inauguration of the 45^th President. He began his campaigning by verbally assaulting the media at his rallies and every day, this has not stopped since then. The lack of respect and value of our first amendment rights, journalist, and journalism by the President is so appalling to me, it is scary. In 2018, when the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by people from Saudi Arabia, the admonition of our tour guide, kept replaying in my mind. As I observed and listened to the discourse about this murder and I watched and listened to the President’s overtures about his anger and sanctions of the perpetrators, yet those overtures ironically all seemed so fake to me. As time and the investigation advanced into 2019, my hunch was confirmed when many in the news media, friends of Khashoggi, etc. observed that Trump did not show the outrage as would be expected by a President of the United States.

While the tour guide was narrating this history and made the remarks, I moved closer to her, because I was now so concerned and wanted to learn more. I asked her why she was discussing the issue of “fake news’, she said, “We Germans are so concerned about the American President calling things Fake news, because this is one of the first things Hitler did, he started saying everything being said about the impending conflicts [the War] were fake news. He then shut down the news media!” During the past couple weeks, John Bolton’s book, and the news of the hostile takeover of the International Board at the Voice of America, etc. brought this narrative from my tour to life. I began to feel really frightened, terrified, I had anxieties thinking of what this all meant. Where are we heading? Could there a repeat of 1930s Germany? Are we heading to another Civil War, or worst another World War?

Narrative 2

I decided to stay at the front of the group listening to her; I moved in even closer, I was right next to her now. She said to me, “I am so glad you are here!” I was a bit surprised by her statement, so I asked, “Why do you say that?” In an almost inaudible way she whispered her replied, “I do not usually see a lot of Black people on this tour and when I try to tell ‘this story’ to my tourists, they usually shrug!” I knew why she whispered her reply, so as not to allow the others to hear our dialogue. I asked her, “What story?” She said, “We are coming up to this mural on the side of the church.” I saw the murals on [the Cathedral] and I moved closer to observe them and to hear the ‘story!’ We saw the murals on the church, we stopped! I was awed by the kids in the rubble. I asked her why the kids were in the rubble? Then came the other bombshell story. The tour guide said, “My mom was one of those kids in the rubble.” I was not certain if she meant that her mom was literally one of the kids in the picture noted above of if she meant this figuratively. Thinking of this now, I should have asked. But she was now speaking to everyone on the tour, who had caught up with us, not just me. She continued, “After Hitler started the war and bombings, Cologne was hit very hard. He made sure to send food to the masses of people who voted for him; those who empowered him, but she starved those who did not!”

I asked, “What happened to your mom?” She said, “My grandmother left her and her siblings to go to the countryside to find food, so these kids played in the rubble, all day with no one to take care of them; they wet and messed themselves!”  I could see everyone listening attentively now! I was so enamored by what she was relating to us. I said, “This is awful; so sad!” We had also visited a WWII bunker so the images of this was replaying in my mind the entire time I was listening. Then she started to talk to me directly again and said, “Well one of your people helped save her and the other kids!” I asked, “What do you mean?” She said,

“One day when they were playing in the rubble, the older kids heard a roaring sound; they saw a tanker rolling down the street in the square across from the cathedral, they called the younger kids and started to run; trying to get away, when the taker stopped and a Black GI [soldier] opened the tanker door. He called the kids back and said, ‘I am not going to hurt you; I am here to help you!” He proceeded to give them some of his army meals and candy, etc.”

I was blown away by this narrative, but also filled with pride to know it was one of “us” who helped those kids in the rubble!  As I was thinking about writing this essay, I was also reminded about the Child Separation, Zero Tolerance policies at the border. I decided to ask a friend who grew up in Germany if she could relate to or verify some of the history of this story. Her mother is German, and father is African. She said her grandmother told her similar stories while she was a little girl. Her grandmother recounts the bombs every day, the fear, the hunger. They had to go from house to house to find food. It was a terrifying time!

Conclusions

When we returned from the tour, I discussed what I learned with my colleagues. We had our opinions of what we learned, some thought the stories were just another set of narratives about history, but I felt very concerned. When I arrived back home from the workshop, I shared these stories with my friends and family, I shared the pictures and posted a synopsis on my social media page. We have all heard the history of Hitler’s notion of fake news ‘Lügenpresse,’ shutting down the media, etc., but to hear this in the country from an actual tour guide whose parents lived through this nightmare, to see the artifacts of the kids in the rubble on the side of the church and the black-smoked church, which is still being remodeled after all those years, is disturbing. As I watch the current political and socio-economic climate, the social unrest, the President’s quest to defund what he deems cities run by Democrats and “antifa,” the pandemic, and recall the Child Separation zero-tolerance policies, etc., I am gripped with frightening questions. Are we on the trajectory to be another Germany in the 1940s? Who will decide who gets a vaccine, food, etc., to help during this pandemic; will it be only those who live in so-called red states or cities not run by Democrats? What kind of America do we want to live in, one that could potentially slide into demagoguery or totalitarianism? One where it is us vs. them? I am hoping that people will read this essay and take these issues seriously as they consider their votes this November.

[1] All picture included in this essay were taken by me

[1] These highlighted intext citations are from www.britannica.com