Fort Bliss Monitor

Day of National Mourning

Sgt. Matthew MacRoberts
Monitor Editor

Col. Klaus Habersetzer and Brig. Gen. Francis G. Mahon honor all those who died in conflicts spanning the globe and time.

A portion of El Paso’s community not only observed Veteran’s Day this week – they remembered scores of fallen soldiers Sunday during a ceremony held at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

German soldiers stood guard at each grave, solemn and dignified. In the background, a blanket of snow covering Franklin Mountain, possibly evoking visions of Deutschland. Buried at the cemetery are 25 German soldiers who were captured during World War II and died during their imprisonment in the El Paso area.
More than a hundred people, German and American, military and civilian gathered at the gravesites and remembered the sacrifices made by these soldiers. Nov. 14 is Germany’s Day of National Mourning and shares the American Veteran’s Day sentiments … Honor, Respect and Remembrance.

In that sense of shared sentiments Soldiers from the 62nd Army Band played O Sacred Head Surrounded the German mourning song Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden while an Honor Guard from 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery stood watch.

German Air Force Air Defense School Commandant, Col. Klaus Habersetzer said, “On this day, in many cities, towns and villages all over Germany, people come together to commemorate the victims of war and violence. This day of remembrance dates back to the year 1920, when people commemorated the almost two million German soldiers fallen during World War I for the first time. The sympathy of those who survived the war unscathed for those left bereft by the war marked this day forever as a day of both mourning and remembrance.”

Habersetzer quoted 18th century Russian General Alexander Wassiljewitsch Suworow, “A war is not over until the last soldier has been buried.” It will be a long time before the world is able to end many wars by burying all their dead.

“The millions of dead we commemorate today are also a reminder for us. They remind us: To practice reconciliation. To strive for peace. And to keep our level-headedness We want to learn from our memories. We want to learn lessons that will help future generations to orient themselves. Memory shall help us not to be lead astray in the future,” said Habersetzer. “This is an appeal and plea to all generations to face up to this responsibility, and especially to us who are bearing responsibility today and right now. I will now honor the memory of the dead. Today we remember the victims of war and violence, the children, women and men of all nations.”



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	November 18 , 2004

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	Day of National Mourning Sgt. Matthew MacRoberts Monitor Editor Col. Klaus Habersetzer and Brig. Gen. Francis G. Mahon honor all those who died in conflicts spanning the globe and time. A portion of El Paso’s community not only observed Veteran’s Day this week – they remembered scores of fallen soldiers Sunday during a ceremony held at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery. German soldiers stood guard at each grave, solemn and dignified. In the background, a blanket of snow covering Franklin Mountain, possibly evoking visions of Deutschland. Buried at the cemetery are 25 German soldiers who were captured during World War II and died during their imprisonment in the El Paso area. More than a hundred people, German and American, military and civilian gathered at the gravesites and remembered the sacrifices made by these soldiers. Nov. 14 is Germany’s Day of National Mourning and shares the American Veteran’s Day sentiments … Honor, Respect and Remembrance. In that sense of shared sentiments Soldiers from the 62nd Army Band played O Sacred Head Surrounded the German mourning song Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden while an Honor Guard from 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery stood watch. German Air Force Air Defense School Commandant, Col. Klaus Habersetzer said, “On this day, in many cities, towns and villages all over Germany, people come together to commemorate the victims of war and violence. This day of remembrance dates back to the year 1920, when people commemorated the almost two million German soldiers fallen during World War I for the first time. The sympathy of those who survived the war unscathed for those left bereft by the war marked this day forever as a day of both mourning and remembrance.” Habersetzer quoted 18th century Russian General Alexander Wassiljewitsch Suworow, “A war is not over until the last soldier has been buried.” It will be a long time before the world is able to end many wars by burying all their dead. “The millions of dead we commemorate today are also a reminder for us. They remind us: To practice reconciliation. To strive for peace. And to keep our level-headedness We want to learn from our memories. We want to learn lessons that will help future generations to orient themselves. Memory shall help us not to be lead astray in the future,” said Habersetzer. “This is an appeal and plea to all generations to face up to this responsibility, and especially to us who are bearing responsibility today and right now. I will now honor the memory of the dead. Today we remember the victims of war and violence, the children, women and men of all nations.”