Golden Wedding

17th June 2023: A family of thirteen on a boat ride to Grinda in Stockholm´ s archipelago. Fun and games, a walk around the island, a swim in the harbour and a three course dinner with drinks on the boat to follow. The sun shone until late, as is usual at this time of the year. A wonderful occasion to mark the 16th June 1973 when two young people, hardly more than kids, walked down the aisle of Allhelgonakyrkan (All Saint´ s Church) in Södermalm, Stockholm to the tune of ”Ack Värmeland Du sköna.” (”Oh Beautiful Värmland”)

Fifty years is a long time and the two are no longer young, although still kids at heart, albeit a great deal wiser.

Alan

A quaint Sussex village, a picture-book English church and a beautiful summer´ s  day was the setting for a gathering of people come together to say good-bye. 

Good-bye to a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, an uncle, and a friend. A day of sadness, a day of mourning, as befits the seriousness and finality of the occasion. Yet this day in June, in these beautiful surroundings was more than just that.

Life has to end in death but seldom before the seed of life is sown for the next episode, in this case five children and fifteen grandchildren.

Life owes its existance to death and our two families  bonded in a friendship of almost sixty years celebrated a life as well as mourned its passing.  Laughter and tears all jumbled up.

The tears in homage to a loss, the laughter acknowledging a life and the continuation of a friendship formed so many years ago and now passed on.

R.I.P.

Time To Be Strong Again

In German, ”Wenn wir wieder Stärke zeigen müssen,”  a caption in a recruiting advert stressing the need for a stronger Bundeswehr caused quite a stir in Germany.

”Here we go again,”  becoming quite the popular, knee-jerk reaction. A response to this reaction (somewhere on Twitter) claimed that the problem actually lay with the people associating this quote with Germany´ s  Nazi history and their interpretation of the advert as a desire for a more successful repeat performance against Russia.

In other words, according to this pacifist logic, a strong German military presence is to be avoided for the sake of peace in Europe. True up to the point where a strong military is a must for invading any neighbouring country. What should be remembered though, as both past and recent history show us, is that this warmongering formula is incomplete and rendered useless without an autocratic catalyst. Democracies do not go to war with one another. Democracies do not instigate a ”special military operation” using indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets, rape and torture as a means of subjugating their neighbours.

Looking back a generation there can be no doubt that Germany has learnt a lesson from its past although its focus on economy as opposed to other manifestations of power has come unstuck. Somewhat eyebrow raising that anyone in Germany ever believed that militant imperialists can be bought off; something the most of Europe has known since 1939 up to the present. 

However judging by the recent actions of the German government and its now widespread support of Ukraine both military and humanitarian, the country seems to finally have taken a decisive step from being a politically introvert, anti-Nazi democracy to becoming a country that, together with its like-minded neighbours, is prepared to fight for its own and other country´ s  right to democracy.    

The need to be strong again has never rung truer,  only this time the boot is on the other foot.

The Importance of What is Important

The other day my youngest grandchild Inez asked my wife, 

What do you do all day grandma?”

She was obviously referring to the both of us, revealing her concern for two people she cares about. With no jobs to go to and and not enrolled in any school she was not only inquisitive but apparently also concerned about her grandparent` s  ability to cope with what to her seemed like an empty life. I think Gunilla put her mind to rest by listing a few of our ”old people` s” activities. 

A somewhat quizzical expression hinted that she didn` t  fully accept that these were an acceptable substitute for her own school- life or her parents work-life. I there and then suspected she would never become an investigative journalist as she let her good upbringing get the better of her and didn` t  press the matter.

This mundane everyday sort of intermezzo might easily have been passed off with a laugh but the fact is it began doing laps in my head faster than anything you might see at Silverstone. The existential questions it left in its wake had me pondering.

Is a job resting on the foundations of an education or learned skills the only true fullfilment in life?  To put it simpler. Do we live to work or do we work to live?  For me a job is a sophisticated form of survival honed to perfection from our days as hunters.

I have always enjoyed working if not having to get up early five days a week. Furthermore I have never been in doubt that it is the means to the end and not the goal itself even though a successful job/career quite clearly has an enormous amount of scope for personal fullfilment.

Reaching retiring age does of course deprive most of us of this and in quite a few instances has tragic consequences as many find it hard to adapt to 24/7 freedom.

Adapt is the key word here as for a period of two years the Covid pandemic curtailed some very important activities in our lives as pensioners. Travelling, traditional family gatherings and social intercourse in general. The very things we worked to be able to enjoy and that like gas expanded to fill the vacuum created by not having a job. 

Covid changed the rules and we had to adapt once again. The gist of things being indoors becoming outdoors or the internet. 

The pandemic would seem to be over and a return to a somewhat more normal life is a welcoming thought but the world is forever changing and with that come new challenges on our ability to adapt.

Been There Done That

Below is an extract from a speech recorded in the US and then sent to the BBC for broadcasting to a war-torn Europe.

The above lines were quoted on Twitter together with an excellent translation by Mart Kuldkepp associate professor of Scandinavien History and Politics at UCL.

For the benefit of Sarah Wagenknecht et al. I hereby submit my own translation.

The resistance of Ukraine, the help it receives from America and the EU are denounced by the leaders in the Kremlin as ´prolongation of war`

They demand ”peace.”  They who drip with the blood of their own people and that of other peoples dare to utter this word.

What they mean is subjugation, the legalization of their crimes, the acceptance of the humanly unendurable. 

But that is not possible.

With a Putin there can be no peace, because he is thoroughly incapable of peace and because this word in his mouth is nothing but a dirty, pathological lie.

Been there done that, Europe 2023

standforukraine.com

”Zeitenwende”

The 24th February 2023 marks the anniversary of what has been described by Germany´ s Chancellor Olaf Scholz as ”Zeitenwende”.   Political slogans are often simple, exaggerated and seldom contain material for serious analysis.  Not so with ”Zeitenwende,” a word closely related to Bob Dylan´ s  song title ”The Times They Are a-Changing;” although unlike Dylan´ s  gentle reminder of a generation in waiting and expectations for the future, ”Zeitenwende” has us looking to the past.  Like the sharpest of knives slicing through the softest of flesh, this word pregnant with memories of recent European history and our determined efforts to avoid a reprise, has left us in agony.  The coming year will see a thousand and one more anniversaries of events that have turned our world upside down. ”Zeitenwende” encapsulates them all whether they be in the realm of politics, the military or human suffering.

In the realm of politics: 

The ugly return of Fascism with imperialist lipstick claiming to protect speakers of Russian by incorporating them into the Russian Federation. Swap Sudetenland 1938 for Crimea 2014.

The invasion of a neighbouring country in order to create a military buffer zone and in the process eliminate any democratic influence.  Swap Poland 1939 for Ukraine 2022.

Russia´ s   faster than ever decline into dictatorship where censorship inhibits freedom of speech and political opposition with those not complying, shown not the door but the window. Hair-raisingly enough this is not the sole reason for the lack of resistance to Putin´´ s ”Special Military Operation” There are still people in Russia who support the war, whatever the label. The excuse often heard is that people believe the propaganda depicting Russia as the victim. It´ s  a sorry excuse at best, where the events of the past year have brought about a better understanding that the problem runs deeper than Putin and his cabal.

Security treaties and international agreements intended to prevent war in Europe have been virtually incinerated by Russia, leaving only the most naive or cynical professing peace in the belief that there is a future in trusting Putin. But where to from here? It took awhile but it now looks as if the first part of that question is being answered with an ever increasing flow of war material to Ukraine. There is consensus in the decision to beat Russia but not in how much, with Macron at the fore of ”just enough”  and the other perhaps more realistic view, from a Ukrainian point of view, ”to the point where they won´ t  try this sort of crap again.” 

Russia is in flagrant breach of the UN charter thus humiliating an organisation that requires voting consensus in its security council.  In other words it would require Russia as a member of that same council to vote in favour of its own exclusion if it is to be excluded. You couldn´ t  make it up!

This was the day the alarm clock not only rang  but went crashing to the floor brutally reminding Europeans of democracy´ s  fragility and the need for closer EU co-operation as well as NATO´ s  vital role in the face of revanchistic imperialism.

”Zeitenwende” has also offered us a political litmus test with the strong, the weak, and the shifty, mercilessly pinpointed in the spotlight on the world stage. Political colour seems to have given way to backbone and personality.  Indecisive Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson finally plucked up the courage and paved the way for Sweden´ s  NATO membership application.  Neutrality is said to be in Sweden´ s  DNA leaving Putin with egg on his face and guaranteeing Andersson a place in history.  Women are said to be less bellicose than men which I have no reason to doubt.  All the more impressive is how female politicians have shown themselves steadfast in the face of Putin´ s  aggression.  From Sanna Marin in Finland to Annalena Baerbock in Germany not forgetting Kaja Kallas in Estonia. 

The far right and far left in Germany holding hands in their opposition to the war not Putin leaves a foul taste in my mouth, not least with their disgusting so called manifestations for peace ignoring the suffering of Ukrainians at the hands of their oppressors.  Ukrainians want to live in peace and in democracy and are prepared to die for that.  Swap negotiations with Putin for negotiations with Hitler and things begin to fall into place.

In the realm of the military:

The military theatre in Ukraine is perhaps the biggest give away of all as to the kind of country we are dealing with.  From a few weeks of success at the outset of the invasion to a botched attack on Kyiv the Russian army proved itself to be unfit for purpose.  The great Russian bear had mould in its fur and rotten teeth.  The army that the world feared was bested by Ukraine which showed better motivatation and leadership all the way from the top down.   Democrat faces autocrat comes to mind; not quite that simple but indicative.  The incompetence shown by Russia on the battlefield was compensated for by targeting civilians.  The stories of survivors are horrendous with the events in Bucha serving as a showcase for this degenerate behavior.  That Putin then expressed his gratitude by decorating the perpetrators of the slaughter in Bucha gives us an insight to the mindset of Russia today.  Vladimir Putin is obviously not of this Century and his army reflects this in no uncertain terms.  I have seen pictures of a bare-chested Putin posing with rifles and riding a horse.  I´ m not sure if that impresses anybody although it most certainly reveals a few things about his character. 

In the realm of human suffering:

There seems little point in repeating the long list of suffering caused by this war as most people, including those in Russia I dare say, are already informed of what is happening.  Pictures and video clips flourish on the internet sometimes only minutes or even seconds after occurring, making this war and its suffering the most documented ever.  War crimes have been abundant and according to legal experts this evil will in time see justice.

The future:

”Zeitenwende”  is very clear about one thing, with people like Putin around you need a strong military deterrent.  Although Scholz initially dithered in his follow up to this promise it would seem he has either changed his mind or is being dragged in the required direction by the chain of events; or could it be Annalena?   Dependency on Russian mineral resources is now permanently off the cards and ”Wandel durch Handel,” (change through trade) also at least as far as Russia is concerned. Not that any of these things were priorities in most other EU countries.  Perhaps the time has come for Germany to cast aside its sackcloth and ashes and realize it´s not the sword that is the problem, it´ s  the way you swing it.  On top of that a lesson or two on what true and thereby often successful leadership entails might not go amiss. As far as anything else is concerned the future is uncertain.  Ukraine has made its goal crystal clear; Russians out and that includes Crimea.  A stance supported by international law but so far has only hesitant support from the US and Europe.   The outcome on the battlefield and the eventual consequences in Russia will not only define whether Ukraine achieves its goal but also define the future of Europe.    

Слава Україні

The Wrong Side of History

The last few days has seen increasing pressure on German chancellor Scholz and his SPD party to send German manufactured Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Not only has this been rejected but Germany has also prevented other EU countries, under terms of sale, supplying Ukraine from their own stocks. The latter policy has apparently now been abandoned if the statement made by Annalena Baerbock (the Green Party foreign minister in Scholz`  coalition government) in an interview with French television is to be believed. It is not unlikely that Poland` s ”stuff you” stance, ”we will send them anyway,” was the final straw. As things go it looks increasingly likely that Germany will soon be sending its own Leopards. All` s well that ends well you might think concerning this kerfuffel.

Maybe, but not for Germany. In my opinion it exposes a geo-political rift that trashes any reputation that Germany has painstakingly managed to build up since the second world war. 

It spotlights Germany` s political weakness and its inability to shed its past and take its rightful place as a leader in a democratic Europe. Once again going it alone, albeit now on a quasi pacifist, aggressor appeasing tack. 

A quote from Swedish national Svenska Dagbladet on Germany´s decision not to send Leopard tanks that I translated into German for a Twitter tweet. 

”Feige und gefährlich..schickt starke Signale deutscher Schwäche nach Rußland..Deutschland ist das schwächste Kettenglied des westlichen Zusammenhalts.” Being labelled as cowardly and weak is painful coming from a country with a two hundred year history of avoiding conflict.

After sending that tweet, a helpful defender of the Chancellor responded with a list of war material that Germany has already sent to Ukraine. The list is impressive, containing a large amount of wartime supplies, with the onus on need rather than aggression, although there are exceptions.  Machine guns, missiles, rocket launchers with ammunition, hand grenades, Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Enough lethal material debunking any excuse Scholz has of not wanting to fan the flames of war. Another of Scholz ´ excuses has been of not going it alone which, considering his isolation in an otherwise almost unanimous Europe, is easily translated as without America that is. The insinuation here being that Biden the Boss says no. Judging by statements in Washington denying this, either the US is lying through its teeth or Scholz is using them as a pinafore. Whichever is true, the indecisiveness of the German government, its lack of leadership in the face of brutal aggression not seen in Europe since world war two, will leave Germany holding the baby whatever the outcome in Ukraine. 

History will not be kind. 

A Good Friend and Putin` s Legacy

In my early twenties I supplemented my income by giving London evening class lessons in German. Apart from meeting a host of interesting people this also brought me into close contact with Dennis and Tony, as I have mentioned earlier.  Drinks after class in the local pub were not unusual which might have been an added motivator for learning German, who knows?  

Another of my courses was attended by Eli who spoke an accentuated English I couldn´t  place, neither geographically nor language wise. On one occasion Eli appologised for missing class one week as it had coincided with a religous holiday. Unlike today, minority religous festivals were not on everybody` s lips unless you belonged to a minority of course. Eli didn` t look ”foreign” either, so I was rather curious as to what that holiday might be. 

Yom Kippur,” he replied, continuing with, ”I` m an Israeli.” 

I learnt a great deal from Eli, with cloven hoof animals being kosher food, sticking to mind. Pubbing and partying with the occasional curry filled my non-working hours in the late sixties and Eli` s religion never once got in the way of things. In fact we shared a number of likes. Eli had a penchant for buying fresh bread direct from the bakery in the early hours of the morning. Another thing we shared and here I choose to be explicit in order to avoid any misunderstanding, was female company. 

One weekend Eli said he had promised to stop by and pay an elderly couple a visit. Whether friends or family friends he didn` t say although he was sorry he couldn`´ t take me along and suggested we meet up a little later that day. In not so many words it became apparent that my presence in the elderly couple` s home would be uncomfortable for them. Having been born after the war and under the circumstances, the irony of being exposed to this curse didn` t escape me. I fully understood however and the feeling of relief at being spared my own discomfort, neatly juxtapositioned in. 

There is no way I will condemn Ukrainian hatred of Russia and Russians. What Russians are yet to become aware of is, that the hatred will extend to the yet unborn.

The Way Out of the Conflict

As I think I have already mentioned in an earlier post the last five years have offered more suspense than the seventy years before that. What with Trump, Brexit turbulence, the pandemic, climate change, N. Korean rocket man, the invasion of Ukraine, all bundled up to coincide with my otherwise quite satisfactory life as a pensioner,  

Most of this has left me pretty much unscathed with the exception of Covid and the two years of coffin dodging making its mark on my daily priorities. 

Although a glance in the rear mirror of time also reveals a rather stubborn resistance to a world gone mad, resulting in no side effects other than me having aged mentally, slightly faster than usual.  In a young person this might be considered as a pro, though at my age I have a sneaky feeling it is much more of a con.

Whatever, things haven` t let up as this month of October bears witness to. None of the above have been sorted and in fact another horror show added in the form of the not so holy, holy men in Iran.  Women being beaten and tortured by the henchmen of the priesthood  for wanting to be able to choose what they wear,  fits in with the spirit of things. 

In Ukraine of course Russian army violence makes no gender distinction, except when it comes to raping that is. From being seen as the 2nd best army in the world to beyond a doubt proving itself to being the 2nd best army in Ukraine, unless you count killing unarmed civilians that is.

Listening to Putin and his side show of diplomat cum spokesman clowns, Lavrov and Peskov, knowingly debasing themselves in the eyes of the world with logic matching Orwell` s wildest imagination. All to appease the home front in an attempt to persuade the population to sacrifice their menfolk for the sake of an imperialist` s wet dream.

The list is long and the logic at times comical enough to neutralize the meaning of the word parody. 

This is the tip of the iceberg. Hidden below the surface is a country in an emotional state more suited to the first half of the last century. Like an armed gangster demanding respect where respect has not been earned nor quite rightly given. A country seeking to justify the violation of any treaty or agreement blocking the path of its intentions. A country seeking to justify its use of force and the murder and destruction of anyone or anything that gets in its way.  Although nationalism is a not uncommon global disease, when combined with the above we know how it ends.

”We need to negotiate a peace,” someone said. 

It beggars belief that there are still people who believe negotiations resulting in treaties are a panacea for peace. If they were, we wouldn´ t be where we are today.

Sanna Marin, the Prime Minister of Finland was asked, ”…The way out of the conflict?” 

Without hesitation she replied, ”The way out of the conflict is for Russia to leave Ukraine, that is the way out of the conflict.”