ULM, Germany - In our young Command it has become a worthy tradition to commemorate the service and sacrifice of our armed forces in several events from end of October to mid-November. This year the British, Canadian, French and German Community at JSEC will give out Remembrance Flowers for a small donation.
Every act of remembrance honors those who serve to defend our democratic freedoms and way of life – united across faiths, cultures and backgrounds
Flowers – artificial or natural, detailed or stylized – can be found all over the world in a wide variety of facets for a wide variety of commemorative occasions. Flowers are also a sign of hope: the poppy, for example, became a symbol of remembrance in Commonwealth countries from Canada to New Zealand because its seeds were the first to sprout on soldiers' graves during the First World War. The Canadian writer John McCrae described them in his poem "In Flanders Fields" after the death of his friend on the battlefield, paving the way for the red flower to become an internationally known symbol.
This year the British, Canadian, French and German Community at JSEC gives out Remembrance Flowers for a small donation. Picture by OF-2 Harant
In France, “Cornflower of France” ("Le Bleuet de France”) stands for the living memory of the countless dead of the wars, especially the First and Second World Wars. And in Germany, the "Forget me not" ("Vergissmeinnicht") has long been the flower of remembrance. The small blue flowers stand for living memories and loving farewells. The "blue flower" is also a well-known motif in German Romanticism, where it stands for, among other things, the pursuit of ideals – and for the futility of the human search for complete happiness.
You can support the campaigns by making a donation and wearing the Poppy, Le Bleuet de France and/or Forget me not Flowers in the Wilhelmsburg Barracks. The proceeds from the donations go to charitable purposes - from the care of war graves to helping soldiers' families in need. No matter how big the donation is or how many flowers you wear: Every act of remembrance honors those who serve to defend our democratic freedoms and way of life – united across faiths, cultures and backgrounds.