July 7, 2007 Good bye, Mr. Köhler


I had relaxedly sat down on a terrace in the historical center of Sibiu. It was the first time that I saw the restored place and in spite of the rain I thought: what a wonderful holiday. What a wonderful scenery. It is really seldom that I have the chance to relax and enjoy just for a single holiday. Well, the German president was visiting and I had published a welcome address in ”my” newspaper. Of course, I had not been invited to the meeting with the German head of state, although all the other Germans, who have to represent something (I have been doing humanitarian work in Romania for 16 years now, too), had been invited to a greeting. Well, as I said, I am used to that, because I have a ”too big mouth”, because I ”constantly tell the truth to the face of the responsible without being afraid and publish it”, because ”I am always on the side of the poor and oppressed”, who are excluded from the dealings of the rich and the big. And I am used to the fact that I am suspect to this ”dignified” gentlemen. It was already the same when I came to Romania in 1991: I was a spy, a terrorist, a dealer for organs of children and many more. And the Securitate, the new one with the old cadre, always was ”interested” in me. The former head himself went so far to create a file about me, falsified, a lie from start to finish, insolent and shameless. (In the near future you may read more about that in the Romanian translation of my German book ”Priest of Thorns” (Preot Spinilor).) Even the German Consul General in Sibiu rather relies on communist rumors instead of meeting me or being a German protecting me, what should be his duty. He even had my publications barred and has refused to accept them per e-mail. It is just more comfortable to be on the side of the mighty. You do not learn about the truth As said before, I had published a welcome address to the president and at the same time told the German Mr. Köhler: ”You do not learn about the truth. You may find the truth only a few kilometers from here in the countryside. Looking at this wonderful scenery here in Sibiu, you will not even get an idea of the profound differences between this city and the villages in this country. Who is going to tell you the truth, Mr. Köhler? Would you please come to Iacobeni and learn about the truth here. No toilets, hardly water or electricity, people are dwelling in barracks, where in Germany pigs do not even have to live in, there is hunger, but no jobs and the children lose their future already now. But they have a right to future as well.” Well, while the president enjoyed a beer on another terrace – which I of course do not begrudge to him at all – I was sitting two hundred meters from him and the event. I watched my children distributing the newspaper with the welcome address. Although the police again and again told them to not distribute it before two o’clock, they enjoyed it and neither the rain could keep them from doing it. Suddenly I was surrounded by nine bulky guys All of a sudden also my terrace filled with exclusively men. I thought, it was because of the rain, naïve as I am. Suddenly I was surrounded by nine bulky guys and only later on realized that they were the ”guys with the blue eyes”. But they were not discreet in watching me at all. Even their appearance remembered me to a certain environment. One had a dog, others an ”important” in-ear monitor, others stared at me constantly, filmed me and talked about my name so loudly that I had to realize then: Oh, I am observed once again, am I so important? One of them filmed me for minutes and most probably it meant: provocation. Had they really expected me to get involved with this provocation? Really? Had they planned to create a reason for removing me from the place or even for arresting me? Dear God, if this is the quality of the Romanian security, nice prospects, Romania! Are there no ”more dignified” gentlemen in this country? What a shame, Mr. President What a shame, Mr. President, I would have liked to tell you so much. About my life and suffering in 16 years in Romania, the truth about the old and the neo-communists. The truth about what is still done to the people here. And the truth about the fact, that only a few dare to publish such open words here. Well, I will send you this text and of course in Berlin they will be so clever to not sort my letter out, but to forward it to you. For I have come to appreciate that you in your high office are not at all afraid of calling a spade a spade. I do not expect an answer from you, because, as I said before, I do not belong to the chosen ones. I wish you God’s blessing and much strength in your high office and most of all a staff at home and en route, who does not flatter only but help you by also being true. Yours respectfully, Father Don Demidoff ICCC President of the League for the Renaissance of Moral Standing in Romania President of the foundation Casa Don Bosco for abandoned children Priest of the first ecumenical church in Romania, Basilica at Iacobeni Priest of the detainees in the high security prison in Codlea