Germany: "ecumenical" solidarity” “

Deaths, billions of euros of damage, thousands left homeless: the results of August’s flooding in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Russia are still unclear, but it is certain that it will be years before the situation goes back to being as it was before the disaster. In the wake of the floods that devastated central and eastern Europe, recovery and rebuilding work is going ahead, but the operations are threatened by fresh flooding in the areas already hit last month. “The worst has passed but the disaster provoked by the floods remains and its gravity is becoming manifest as the water level falls” Card. Miloslav Vlk, archbishop of Prague, declared to SIR (cf. SIR n.60 of 29/8/2002). “It is calculated”, the cardinal said, “that the cost of the damage in the Czech Republic lies between 60 and 90 billion korunas. I have told priests that what is important now is to be present among the people in order to give hope”. In Germany the areas most affected are within the former East Germany, thus the problem of reconstructing those parts of the Länder struck by the flood is added to that of the particularly high level of unemployment in those regions. Now the emergency has passed, appeals are being made not to lose sight of the people who have lost everything in the disaster. At Castelgandolfo during the audience of 28 August, the Pope expressed the hope that solidarity with the flood victims will not cease: “I encourage and bless the striving for solidarity we have seen in nations and among the people themselves, victims of the painful events” said John Paul II. The appeal by German bishops. A similar note was struck by the German Episcopal Conference in an appeal released on 26 August calling for aid for the victims of the catastrophe. With offers and emergency funds, the German Catholic Church has thus far collected 17 million euros. “The floods”, reads the appeal, “have left behind many people who look to the future with concern. As witnesses, we are thus even more appreciative of the wave of solidarity: the great willingness to make donations shows that solidarity is alive in our society and that old barriers have been overcome. The extent of the damage means that a great national effort will have to be made over the coming years. To this end”, the bishops continue, “we are pleased to note that political leaders have built the foundations” for reconstruction, “overcoming party lines”. […]”As Christians”. the German Episcopal Conference concludes, “we are especially called to help the suffering and to bear their burden”. The commitment of Caritas. Caritas International has earmarked 150 thousand euros of immediate aid for people in the places most affected in Germany: in the dioceses of Regensburg, Passau and Dresden. The funds will be delivered preferentially to needy families and to old people living alone, directly and without bureaucratic delays. Special equipment to dry out houses hit by the flooding has been bought. However what the victims need above all, warns Caritas, is aid in the medium term. Among the bodies involved in these activities are the workers’ assistance organisation (Arbeiterwohlfahrt), the German Red Cross (DRK), the joint assistance association (Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband), the evangelical association Diakonia and the central office for assistance to Jews in Germany (Zentralwohlfahrtsstelle der Juden in Deutschland). The catastrophe and its consequences were discussed during talks on 29 August between representatives of the Evangelical Church (EKD), the German Episcopal Conference (DBK) and the central association of German artisans (ZDH). In the joint declaration released at the end on the meeting, Card. Karl Lehmann, president of the DBK, Manfred Kock, president of the EKD and Dieter Philipp, president of the ZDH, declared themselves to be “impressed at the development of a lively solidarity with the victims of the floods”. One of the initiatives adopted by the federal government as part of the aid programme even includes the issue of a special postage stamp, the revenue from which will partly go to finance the assistance given by the various organisations involved in the reconstruction. Mercede Succa