To the President of Ukraine
Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Embassy of Ukraine
Naaffgasse 23
AT-1180 Vienna
Honourable President, dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy!
Today is May 8, 2023. In Western Europe this day is celebrated as VE-Day, the day of Victory in Europe. Last night, 78 years ago, General Alfred Jodl, Chief of the Operations Staff and designated Chief of the German Armed Forces High Command, had signed the German Unconditional Surrender at General Eisenhower’s Headquarters in Reims.
Tomorrow will be May 9, 2023. On this day the End of the War is celebrated in Eastern Europe. On this day in 1945 General Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, retired Chief of the German Armed Forces High Command, signed the German Unconditional Surrender at the Headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Red Army in Berlin-Karlshorst. On this day we celebrate peace.
Jodl was not yet in charge, Keitel not any more. However, this peace was implemented in Germany and lasted until 1999, when Germany firstly participated in a so called “out of area” mission against Serbia together with its NATO-Allies.
When Germany entered war again on that March 24, 1999 I was living in Munich. Driving home from my office on the Autobahn late in the evening I heard the first reports of the first German Tornado-Jets bombing Belgrade. And I confess I was electrified by taking part in this historic moment. I even remember the first song they played in the radio after those late night news. Sitting in my car I turned the music on full volume.
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, contrary to you I’ve never experienced the narcotics of war myself. But contrary to most Europeans I’ve experienced warlike situations when I was working in South America with 21 years of age. Do you know the feeling when you are staring into a barrel of a loaded gun pointed at your face?
I know this feeling from Ecuador, when I was travelling home one night and a military group captured our bus. We were forced to step out and had to line up with our hands raised. Our bodies were searched and some of us were beaten. In course of these proceedings one of the masked men came to me, his loaded rifle pointed at my face, right between my eyes. It was night.
I know that Czech President Pavel recently presented a CZ-75 pistol to you. So you know how to aim at a man’s head. But do you know the feeling when you’re aimed at?
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I’m on your side. When the Russian Army began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, I was shocked. In the morning when the Russian attack on Kiev failed, I went to the Ukrainian Embassy with a sign saying “Bravo, Kiev! Victory.” Shortly afterwards I went to the Russian Embassy and joined the protests.
Then I didn’t understand why Vladimir Putin had commanded the invasion of Ukraine. And I definitely disagreed with the attack on Kiev. And when I’m writing “Kiev” right now, I start to realise the complexity of the problem. I was always writing “Kiev” when I was mentioning your capital. Meanwhile I know that I should write “Kjiv”, because that’s the “right” spelling in Ukraine. Kiev/Kjiv is a multicultural city with at least two major languages being spoken: Ukrainian and Russian. Kiev/Kjiv is divided. And so is your whole nation.
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I’m on your side. But I’m on Vladimir Putin’s side, too. I’m siding both the Ukrainians and the Russians. And meanwhile I know much about your country, not only of the Ukrainian side, but also from the Russian side. Some of my Ukrainian friends, who are living as refugees in Austria, tell me that their Russian friends and relatives don’t talk to them any more. The split in your country goes straight through each and every family and friendship. Who will be able to unite them again?
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, you’ve been a young actor during your whole life. Once you were a funny comedian. One time I saw your first public online-conference. It was a presentation of different countries coming together. And I had a really good laugh about your characterisation of the Russian delegation. It was great fun. Where has all this laughter gone?
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Washington D.C. you presented a Ukrainian flag from the City of Bakhmut/Artemovsk: “The flag of those who defend Ukraine, Europe and the world at the cost of their lives.” And you ended your speech with the words: “This flag is a symbol of our victory in this war. We stand, we fight and we win, because we are united: Ukraine, America, and the entire free world.”
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is writing your speeches? Do you really believe what you’re saying? Do you really believe that the Ukrainian soldiers in Bakhmut are defending “the world”? And do you really believe there is “a free world”, which especially contains Ukraine and “America”? You don’t even mention Europe as part of this “free world”. And which “America” do you mean? The “United States”? Does the rest of “America” also belong to the “free world”? And what about the rest of the world?
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I’m an enthusiastic fan of the speeches of Winston Churchill. But Churchill wrote all his speeches himself. Do you write your speeches yourself? Do you really believe what you’re saying? Do you really believe there is a “free” world – in opposition to the rest? Why do you make this division?
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I disagree. I disagree with your aim of fighting for the “free world”. Do you know the slogan of the European Union? “United in diversity.” How do you want to become a member, if you can’t even unite the different peoples of your country? United in diversity. How do YOU treat people different from you? Do you treat them with respect?
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Europe is a diverse continent. Ukraine is a diverse country. And Kiev is a diverse city. We’re all different people living together. “All different, all equal”, was the slogan of a European Council campaign against racism. They sponsored one of my projects about the Mauthausen Concentration Camp, which was liberated 78 years ago.
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, my grandfather was a prominent Nazi, somehow like your national hero Stepan Bandera. When I was a little child in Kindergarden my Grandpa told me all he knew about the Nazis. He was a close ally of Adolf Hitler, organising the Austrian “Anschluss” to Germany as well as the logistics in Stalingrad until he was severely wounded. Just after he was rescued with the last possible plane, General Paulus surrendered. At the end of the war my grandfather himself surrendered, just before Alfred Jodl did, to the US-Army.
I don’t remember much what he had told me, but my father reminded me of all after my Grandpa had died. I myself just remember the loving atmosphere and the comfort he gave me. He died in high age and left his books of Albert Speer and Winston Churchill for me. I learned a lot from him. And I know that he felt horribly abused by Himmler, whose SS he had already left in September 1938.
Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, can you imagine a man quitting his office for the SS just before the November pogroms? Can you imagine what hero he was? He and all of his troops survived. And he died in high age, having told the story of his life to his beloved grandchildren.
Can you imagine a President quitting his office just before a nuclear war? Can you imagine what hero he will be? And all of his troops will survive. “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire” is written in the Jewish Talmud.
See you in Vienna, “after the war at half past five” in Musikverein, to quote Jaroslav Hašek’s “Good soldier Schwejk”.
Have a very fine VE-day!
Peter
—
Vienna Calling 