by Peter Löcke //
Brother Jacob! Brother Jakob! Are you still asleep? Are you still asleep? Can't you hear the bells? Do you not hear the bells? Ding. Dang. Dong.
The lyrics of the old French nursery rhyme "Frère Jacques" appears to be of secondary importance. More important are the catchy melody and the fact that you can sing the interchangeable lyrics in an endless loop until you reach a state of almost religious trance. In a group. In a large community. How beautiful.
Brother Jacob! Brother Jakob! Finally get vaccinated! Finally get vaccinated! Peep. Prick. Prick.
Not everywhere, but occasionally, these cover verses were sung in German marketplaces two years ago. With candles in hand, with a masked distance, in the soulful feeling of being part of a community of solidarity and saving lives. How beautiful.
There are many folk songs that you can sing in an endless loop. This one, for example:
"Hey, hitch up the wagon, for the wind is driving rain over the land. Fetch the golden sheaves, fetch the golden sheaves!" And then all over again.
The better-known, current cover version of the song goes like this: "Resist, resist. Against fascism here in this country. To the barricades, to the barricades." And then all over again.
People sing it with illuminated smartphones in their hands. The crowd merges into one body. Yet each individual feels like Hans or Sophie Scholl. Against fascism here in this country. What kind of people are these?
They are part of the we-are-more movement that stands up for minorities. They are part of the we-stand-up movement that yesterday proudly saved the world from the sofa. Today, they are courageously showing their faces. Their faces, which they covered up for years when they were asked to do so. They are self-determined, courageous resistance fighters. They are courageously taking to the streets at the urging of churches and corporations, chancellors and class teachers. Constantly bombarded by the media, they are doing it voluntarily. And now they are all singing the new German national anthem "Wehrt euch, leistet Widerstand" from the front. Divided in color, united in cause, the democratic unity party calls for resistance. To the barricades, to the barricades, because never again is now. What exactly does that mean?
Never again black, red and gold. Never again unity and justice and freedom. If they want to sing the German national anthem, they are chased off Germany's stages today like a teacher in Stralsund. Germany is united in the fight against the right, the law and common sense.
Hate is not an opinion. Everyone hates the AfD. These were the messages on the cardboard signs at the Germany-wide demonstrations. The problem is declared to be the solution and turned around. The core problem of inconsistency runs through the entire discussion surrounding the AfD. Supposed fire is to be fought with fire. The AfD is an intolerant party. We must not tolerate it. The AfD excludes. We must marginalize them. The AfD is undemocratic. Then we must fight them undemocratically. Never again fascism. So we need party bans like under fascism. Has it ever worked to fight fire with fire? And now everyone joins in the chorus of mass psychosis:
Fight back, resist. Against fascism here in this country. To the barricades, to the barricades.
I see inspired, happy people. From the demonstration You quickly snap a few selfies for your digital family album, social forums and Whattsapp status to show yourself, the world and the descendants of the last generation that you were part of the resistance. Then you go home to lament the pandemic of the undemocrats. They are to blame for everything that is going wrong in Germany.
Veto! This is not resistance. These are orchestrated events. It is followership and not heroism. The AfD is not the cause of Germany's decline, it is a reaction to it. A good reaction? That's debatable. For the record: This analysis put up for discussion does not automatically make me an AfD voter. It's about something else.
I don't like singing in a choir. That's all. I want to pause when people want to be part of a movement. It makes me uncomfortable when thousands of people do the same thing in unison. That's my definition of fascism, beyond left and right.
In times of hatred, it is worth taking a loving look inwards to avoid becoming what you are supposedly fighting against. Look, taste, smell, listen. Mindfully find inner peace. I believe in the law of resonance. That sounds more esoteric than it is.
Brother Jacques! Brother Jacques! I'm not singing along. To the barricades, to the barricades! I'll decide for myself. I choose other melodies.
I listen to that. I could listen in an endless loop. And cry tears of happiness from the bottom of my heart.
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12 Responses
Look, taste, smell, listen, be mindful and find inner peace.
Trust your own senses - what do they say?
Trust your own thinking--Is the head connected to the heart?
Questioning your own will--how far can you go?
Perhaps it's a good thing if the Germans even realize that they want to go to a demonstration. We are allowed to do that. According to the Basic Law, we are even allowed to if we see imminent danger. After all the bad stories we've heard from politicians and the media, it's no wonder that a primal fear of fascism is taking hold here. After the 1000-year Reich, which was shortened to twelve years, it's all too understandable. That's why I don't hold these people in any less esteem than those they are demonstrating against. As always, fear is not a good advisor in the long term, especially not primal fears. We saw that very clearly in 2020. Reality has returned a little on this topic, so the fear there was a flash in the pan and the actively pursued division in our society is not permanent. For example, the willingness for conventional vaccinations is said to have fallen by 40%, i.e. a vote without words has taken place. I think this could happen again. If more and more rubbery criminal offences are created now, which on closer inspection can serve to censor and restrict freedom of expression, sooner or later it will be recognized by the masses. Why do we need this agitation, which to some seems helpless? This united front against the AfD has every political opportunity to stop the AfD's triumphal march through successful policies. That is often forgotten, it seems to me. A Federal Chancellor is a chancellor of all the citizens entrusted to him and he has to do justice to all of them, at least within limits, I ask myself more and more, does everyone actually know that? The political culture in our state is a valuable asset, and undermining it for short-term political goals could backfire on us, especially if we actually had governing parties that only claim to be committed to democracy. Whether there would then be a return to a living democracy remains to be seen. However, I am confident, contrary to popular public opinion.
Lieber Herr Löcke, vielen Dank für die – wie immer scharfsinnige – Analyse der unglaublichen Vorkommnisse in diesem Land… Aber ein besonderer Dank diesmal für den Link zum Lied „Voilà, voilà!“. Ich kannte das Stück noch nicht und bin zu Tränen gerührt!! Trotzdem, oder gerade deshalb, haben Sie mir den Abend gerettet.
In January 1990, the state apparatus in the declining GDR called for unity against right-wing movements. The trigger was the smearing of the memorial in Berlin Treptow with nationalist symbols. Which in retrospect turned out to be an action by the Stasi. The parallels cannot be overlooked. Yours sincerely, Christian Kulling!
Just watched Dieter Nuhr. Interesting how soft-spoken this man comes across! He just misses the fat spots! And the soft-spoken audience doesn't even notice that Dieter Nuhr has completely changed after the plandemic. They continue to jeer and clap, except that Nuhr now makes his audience jeer with faecal language and flat jokes. None of the sharp remarks he used to make. Everyone in the audience is one, and here we have the same effect again: we are the good satirists. I praise Lisa Fitz for that. She still has bite.
Ja, genau das ist mir bei Nuhr auch aufgestoßen, während und nach der sog. „Pandemie“! Seitdem gucke ich ihn nur noch sporadisch, denn was ist schon Comedy/Satire ohne Biss noch wert? Lisa Fitz ist sich selbst treu geblieben, sie verdient – unter einigen anderen – dafür viel Respekt!!
Thank you Mr. Löcke! Now there are already two of us ...
Thank you Mr. Löcke! Now there are already two of us...
Grandiose!
Das hier beschriebene Phänomen hat Monty Pythons doch sehr schön im Film „Das Leben des Brian“ visualisiert. Brian ruft der Menge zu: „Ihr seid doch alle Individuen“, worauf diese unisono antwortet: „Ja, wir sind alle Individuen“. Nur einer, der sich noch ein letztes Stückchen Selbstreflexion bewahrt hat, antwortet: „Ich nicht!“
Unbeatable and to this day with a philosophical and at the same time prophetic radiance that sends shivers down your spine.
" Has it ever worked to fight fire with fire?"
Yes, I think in bushfires in Australia.
Thank you very, very much. I was very touched by your text and yes, I was shocked and horrified by what was staged/orchestrated, especially this incident in Stralsund. I think Germany is totally disoriented and seems to be in a crisis of meaning.