Gedenk- und Ehrenmal für unsere Toten Eva Petto Memorial and Cenotaph for our Departed Translated by John Michels Twenty-five years ago the Home Village Association (HOG) of India (Indjija) had a monument erected in the cemetery of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen to commemorate and honor their departed. On July 7, 1984 it was dedicated by Rev. Martin Robert Botz and Rev. Lukas, the pastor of Stuttgart-Rot. Dr Valentine Oberkersch (†2004), the first chairman of the India HOG at that time, was able to welcome to the dedication celebration honored guests from the State Ministry Helmut Haun, the Landtag Assembly Member Dr. Marianne Schultz-Hector, the first mayor of the regional capital city Stuttgart Dr. Rolf Thieringer, the District Director of Zuffenhausen Wolfgang Meyle, the mayor of the Gerlingen Albrecht Sellner, the town council members Ruth Bockmann and Werner Frech, the district advisors fellow countrymen Adam Krämer und Otto Ziegler, the current president of the Landsmannschaft der Donauschwaben aus Jugoslawien Christian Brücker, the representatives of the associated Home Village Groups and about 400 India (Indjija) countrymen from Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland and also from Australia, overseas and Yugoslavia. Regional Chairman Wolfgang Meyle said”The Honor and Memorial monument that we dedicate today calls to memory the deceased members in the old Homeland and all of their dead, those who will not be forgotten, and those who should not be forgotten. May this be a place where former members of the community of India will gladly and often find their way.” The president of the Landsmannschaft Christian Brücker stated: “I know well what moves you in these serious times, here in this cemetery, where the greatest son or your homeland community Dr. Stefan Kraft, and more than 300 India (Indjija) countrymen have found their last resting place.” He asked: “What should the stone mean? It has much to say to us of the present time and to our descendents; as this monument is a sign of the fidelity to our dead, exactly like those in the place where they have died. It is a commitment to the history of the Donauschwaben, a sign of solidarity with our ancestors, who established the civilization there in the Danube region. And if cemeteries are destroyed, as in India, the trace of this achievement will not be erased from history.” To conclude the ceremonies, the first wreath was laid on the Memorial by Dr. Valentin Oberkersch (†2004), Fritz Eichinger (†2005) und Ignatz Stabl (†2007) to the music of ”Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden.” The design for this Memorial Monument done by our fellow India Countryman Dipl.- Ing. Walter Speer (†2007). THE DEAD IN THE OLD HOMELAND HERE AND IN ALL THE WORLD LORD, EVERYTHING IS YOURS, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH EMIGRATED FROM THE GERMAN SOUTHWEST IN THE 18TH CENTURY SINCE 1825 THE GERMAN COMMUNITY FOUNDED ♦ INDIA 1944/1945 BANISHED ♦ IN GERMANY, AUSTRIA AND THE WHOLE WORLD A NEW BEGINNING Erected 1984 – The survivors – the descendents – the Patron City Stuttgart ............................ > From: johnmmichels@msn.com > To: parea5o7@live.ca > Subject: RE: INDJIJA: Gedenk- und Ehrenmal für unsere Toten, by Eva Petto [Nov. 2009] > Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:29:22 -0800 > > > > Anita: > > Here is my try at the Indija monument. > > (The monument is a cenotaph -- a monument for people buried elsewhere. > > I will leave it to others to decide whether to change the village name from India to Indija to be less confusing.) > > JMM > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get Windows 7 for only $39.99—CDN College or University students only. This offer ends Jan 3—upgrade now! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get Windows 7 for only $39.99—CDN College or University students only. This offer ends Jan 3—upgrade now!