FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS...

 

26th July 2.30pm-4.30pm, St Aloysius Roman Catholic Church
  
 ‘A Space for Gerhard

Kretschmar' 

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St. Aloysius Church would like to offer a moments pause to reflect upon the passing of Gerhard Kretschmar. All are welcome.

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St Aloysius Roman Catholic Church

 

Gerhard Kretschmar, was the first victim of Nazi euthanasia programme. He was born without an arm and a leg, and born visually impaired. His father wrote a letter directly to Hitler to rid him of this 'monster', and Hitler sent his physician Karl Brandt to carry out the killing. His death led to hundred of thousands more. 81 years to the day after he was killed we therefore want to provide a space in this series for people whether religious or of no religion to reflect and contemplate upon the passing of Gerhard, and show him the love that he found so lacking in his experience of this world. We want to provide the opportunity to pay tribute to Gerhard and to all those thousands of disabled people born and unborn who lost their lives under such a programme, and under other multiple programmes across the world, and to be able to offer their remembrance for these victims.

 

Saint Aloysius against all advice and persuasion from his peers, devoted his young life to helping victims of an epidemic that he then became victim to himself and died. He is the patron Saint of the blind, those with AIDS and young students, and under his icon we think this is a most appropriate place to pay our respects. We would therefore also like to take this moment to remember those who also devoted their lives and work to helping others. As Sophie Scholl stated 'The real damage is done by those million who want to 'survive'. The honest men who just want to be left in peace", and we want to take this time to remember those that took an active resistance to Nazi persecution and human right abuses around them, often at risk and peril to their own wellbeing and lives, for the sake of others.

 

Whether you are religious or not we invite you to join in these reflections, to share a space of remembrance with us, to show the love and grace ill-afforded to Gerhard and to all victims of such programmes, and to contemplate what we can learn for our world today.

 

This is a free and unticketed event.

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