In Nanjing Rabe’s legacy is deeply cherished. For a long time, Hamburg-born Rabe has been a family title within the metropolis, symbolizing compassion and braveness.
BERLIN, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) — Societies that neglect or deny their previous danger repeating the identical errors, stated Christoph Reinhardt, the great-grandson of John Rabe, a German remembered because the hero of Nanjing for safeguarding a whole lot of 1000’s of Chinese civilians through the Nanjing Massacre in 1937.
“This is evident in the Western world, where a focus on progress often neglects the lessons of history,” Reinhardt stated in an interview with Xinhua forward of China’s annual memorial day on Dec. 13, which marks the darkest chapter in Nanjing’s historical past.
On Dec. 13, 1937, the Japanese Imperial Army captured Nanjing. Invaders then carried out mass killings, sexual violence, and different atrocities, ensuing within the deaths of roughly 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed troopers over six weeks. The Nanjing Massacre stays one of the barbaric episodes of World War II.
Rabe, then a Siemens consultant in Nanjing, organized a global security zone with the assistance of different foreigners, saving about 250,000 Chinese individuals between 1937 and 1938.
“For me, my great-grandfather is both a hero and a role model,” Reinhardt stated. “He lived by the motto, ‘You don’t abandon a friend in need,’ with unwavering conviction.”
Reinhardt stated Rabe created an opportunity for survival the place none appeared attainable, demonstrating that “individuals or small groups can have a significant positive impact, even against overwhelming odds.”
Despite his heroic deeds, the Nanjing Massacre and John Rabe’s legacy haven’t gained the worldwide prominence they deserve. “Nanjing doesn’t make headlines in Europe, and John Rabe is not a well-known hero here,” Reinhardt stated. “Western media companies are, to this day, heavily influenced by American perspectives. There was no room for news from China.”
“Perhaps this period carries too much guilt for Germans,” Reinhardt added, reflecting on why Rabe stays comparatively unknown in his homeland.
In Nanjing, nevertheless, Rabe’s legacy is deeply cherished. For a long time, Hamburg-born Rabe has been a family title within the metropolis, symbolizing compassion and braveness.
During Reinhardt’s first go to to Nanjing in 2017, he skilled a profound realization relating to the enduring significance of his great-grandfather’s heroic acts within the current. “Before then, I had no real understanding of my great-grandfather’s significance in Chinese history.”
At the Memorial Hall for the Victims in Nanjing Massacre, he encountered households who approached him to take images with their new child infants in entrance of a outstanding picture of Rabe. Reinhardt stated their actions mirrored the enduring love and reverence the Chinese individuals nonetheless maintain for Rabe.
Reinhardt praised the memorial corridor’s efforts to protect historical past. “Their work is unparalleled anywhere in the world. It was there that I truly understood why a story can only be great if it remains unaltered and authentic,” he stated.
Reinhardt shared a narrative a couple of stonemason on the cemetery in Berlin the place John and his spouse Dora Rabe are buried. “The stonemason told me about Chinese tourists who visited the grave. When asked why they traveled so far, they replied, ‘We are visiting our father!'”
“During every visit (to their graves), I find flowers, letters, and pictures left by visitors,” he stated. “Each time, I reflect on what unique stories these visitors associate with my family.”
Reflecting on historical past, Reinhardt pressured, “Remembering the past is essential for achieving true, humane progress.”