Berlin, February 9 (China News Service) -- At 16:50 on February 7, the wind in Berlin roared, and the temperature dropped to minus 13 degrees Celsius.
Against the wind, Christian Y. Schmidt, a German, and his friends appeared on time in front of the running bull fountain in Berlin's Arnswald Square.
Collis placed a sign with the words "61998" written on it in the sheltered gap below the fountain and carefully lit the candle. This is the cumulative number of people in Germany who have died of COVID-19 as of the day.
Directly behind the densely packed candles, there is another sign that reads ," "Let the coronavirus dead be seen" (#Corona-Tote sichtbar machen).
On Feb. 7, Colliss lights candles in Berlin's Arnswald Square. China News Service reporter Peng Dawei photographed
There were no speeches, no ceremonies, just silent mourning by candlelight.
This is the tenth Sunday that Colliss has come to this square to light candles. What he has experienced in the past year is an observation, reflection and commemoration of the epidemic across China and Germany.
As a German writer who has long lived in China, Collis was in Beijing when the epidemic broke out at the beginning of last year. When he saw reports of misunderstandings and prejudices in the German media, and even incitement to racism, Collis chose to publish his "Beijing Anti-epidemic Diary" on social media.
"I experienced first-hand the initial phase of the outbreak in Beijing, and I was amazed at how quickly the Chinese authorities reacted." When the number of confirmed cases in Beijing was less than 50 and not a single one died, almost all public facilities were closed; access to buildings required temperature measurements and masks were soon required on public transport, Collis recalled. He was also impressed by China's efforts to track close contacts and use mobile phones to apply epidemic prevention. "The most important thing is that the official has told people clearly and unmistakably that this virus is dangerous, please pay attention to epidemic prevention."
After witnessing how Quickly China contained the outbreak, Collis boarded a flight back to Berlin on February 12, 2020, to promote its new book. "I was convinced that China could keep the outbreak under control, so I wouldn't have a problem flying back to Beijing from Berlin on April 1."
Collis only guessed the part about China. Due to the rapid outbreak of the epidemic across Europe, he had to stay in Germany for the next year.
The picture shows candles and the "Let the COVID-19 dead be seen" sign taken in Berlin's Arnswald Square on January 24. China News Service reporter Peng Dawei photographed
After a relatively successful response to the first wave, Germany suffered a second wave in the autumn of 2020. Since last November, the number of people dying from COVID-19 has been on the rise. According to data from the CDC, the cumulative number of deaths due to the new crown virus in Germany in 2020 reached 33,071, of which more than half appeared in December last year.
"That's when I noticed that it barely rippled in the media — every morning it was a dry string of death numbers." What Colliss could not accept was that when the mainstream media reported the epidemic data every day, the number of new confirmed cases appeared first, and then said "in addition" how many deaths there were, "as if they could be ignored".
As a result, Collis and artist friend Veronica Radulovich launched an online campaign called "Let the COVID-19 Dead Be Seen" from December 4, 2020, calling on people in German-speaking areas to light candles every Sunday for those who have died of COVID-19.
The "sichtbar machen" chosen by Collis is an expression peculiar to the German language, meaning "to make the invisible see"
For two months, Collis and his friends lit candles at the same spot on time every Sunday, rain or shine. People in around 40 cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have responded to the campaign. "Many people clearly feel the need to mourn the deaths of COVID-19 and let them be seen, which is also an expression of opposition to conspiracy theorists who deny epidemic prevention."
After some time, several mainstream media in Germany began to pay attention to this activity. On February 6 this year, German President Steinmeier announced that a state ceremony would be held in Berlin on April 18 to mourn the deaths of citizens infected with the new crown virus, and the heads of German state agencies would attend. "The goal of the ceremony is clear, to allow the whole society to mourn, to speak out for the families of the deceased, and to give the deceased a dignified farewell."
Winter is finally coming, and as vaccination spreads, the Germans have seen the light of day. German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently reiterated that all Germans willing to be vaccinated will receive their first shots by September 21.
"I hope this goal will be achieved." Veronica Radulovich said that Germany can undoubtedly do better to fight the epidemic, but there is hope now.
Collis hopes that he will soon return to China to reunite with his wife, who lives in Beijing, "we haven't seen her for almost a year, and I miss her very much." (End)
Source: China News Network