Good morning from Berlin! The sun is shining, there will be uprisings.
I have just spent the past three days in Munich visiting these two…
Everyone send my friend positive birthing thoughts! It’s nearly time.
We saw such tourist sites as the small person’s pre-school tea (chaos), the local supermarket, and the beer garden for alkoholfrei bier…
Plus Munich locals surfing the river (really).
And then I got the train to Berlin.
Witches’ Night
Last night here in Berlin was Witches’ Night, or Walpurgisnacht. News this morning is, ‘Police draw a positive conclusion - isolated scuffles and pyro at demo.’ This is about the ‘queer-feminist ‘Take back the Night’ demo’ where 3,000 marched.
I like their description of it. Friends have been doing Take Back the Night demos for years. Nighttime peaceful marches, in solidarity with those who feel unsafe walking at night and/or are survivors of sexual violence, to show that the night is for everyone and the systems of oppression won’t take that away from any of us.
Ironically, while they marched, I was on a quiet street at night on my way to Mauerpark, so was on the phone with my partner for company. (I explained that in a Buffy the Vampire type sitch my fight would be compromised by tiredness).
I’d (over)heard it was Witches’ Night from the guy at the reception of my hostel and seeing as the Mauerpark is only 20 minutes walk up the road, I thought I’d go check out the Witches’ Night celebrations…
I forget that witch folklore abounds in Germany. When my English friend in Munich and I went on German exchange, we visited the Harz mountains. There were witches everywhere.
There was actually a great image of, as my friend said, ‘a witch magic-ing up trees’ in the Englischer Garten park in Munich. I particularly liked the ‘HEX HEX’ on it.
There is of course a darker side to the history of witchcraft in Europe. A plaque at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle, Cornwall reads, ‘It is estimated that around 50,000 people in Europe died after being accused of witchcraft. About a thousand were from the United Kingdom.’
Women were accused of witchcraft far more often than men (85% vs 15%). ‘Witchfinding’ was, as is often the case, about controlling people, particularly women. And particularly women’s bodies. So remember to hex the patriarchy like those on the Reclaim the Night marches next time you think of witches.
May Day in Berlin
The next stop here is May Day (or International Workers Day/ Labour Day), which I’m told is an entire day of heavy drinking, demonstrations that get out of hand really quickly, or a heady mix of the two.
My Berlin friend and her crowd and I won’t be taking part in demonstrations (we’re off to open-air raves instead) but I have my anti-capitalist protest T-shirt ready just in case.
My Grandfather, Reported Prisoner of War
So I’m in Berlin… but where was my grandfather, after the letter about his disappearance?
Two months after the news her son’s plane had been ‘lost’, Fred’s mother received a telegram.
B. 5.0 RUISLIP TELEX OHMS 22
-IMPORTANT- MRS [redacted] BOYNE ROAD LONDON SE 13 =
YOUR SON 580892 SERGEANT [redacted] REPORTED PRISONER
OF WAR LETTER FOLLOWS = RECORDS TELEX RUISLIP
+ 54 SE 13 580892
She wrote to him…
Boyne Rd
Lewisham SE13
13/7/40
My darling Freddy,
I have been informed that you are ‘prisoner of war,’ but have not got your camp address, so am just hoping that this may reach you. I wrote already a fortnight ago through the Red Cross thinking they could forward it on to you, but my letter was returned to me.
Everyday by every post I have been anxiously looking forward to your own beloved handwriting but up to now this hasn’t come. I hope that you were not hurt very much and that you have completely recovered. You are in our thoughts night and day. And all our prayers are for you. Micki [Fred’s fiancée] and I have written regularly to one another. They have invited me to their home for a few days. But I can’t do anything, until I know you are going along alright. [Cousin] Freda came out of hospital last week, but is still very weak. When I get your address, I will send it on to [cousin] Billy and also Teddy [friend], they will all like to write to you. Once more my fondest love and very best wishes to you my precious son. A goodnight kiss and God bless you
From your loving Mum
Would she hear from him? And if so, when?
Tune in next time, when I’ll be in just the place to reveal more.
Cheerio!