August 5, 2003

Borkum Remembers Murdered US Prisoners

Rotary Club dedicates Memorial Stone -- High political presence -- Memorial to War Dead not too late -- Thanks to the Island for initiative

by Wilke Spricht, Borkumer Zeitung
(translated by Robin Smith)

Borkum -- Harvey Walthall, William Myers, Howard Graham, Kenneth Faber, James Danno, William Dold, William Lambertus. For 59 years the Island of Borkum has been intimately and painfully linked with these seven names. These are the names of seven American soldiers of the 8th Air Force, who were shot as prisoners of war on the August 4, 1944. The Rotary Club of Borkum has chosen the 59th anniversary to remember this "Dark Day in the History of Borkum" to create a Memorial stone on Hindenburg Street as an indication of the solidarity and reconciliation with the two survivors, and those left behind.

Seven murdered airmen who were shot on the island 59 years ago were remembered with a memorial stone at a dedication on Hindenburg street. Yesterday two survivors as well as relatives from the United States of America took part in the official dedication of the memorial stone, and posed in this group photo with the official representatives of the US Air Force, the German Federal Government, officials the Lower-Saxony government as well as the City of Borkum, and the driving force of the Rotary Club. [From right: COL Taylor, 8th AF; BGEN Gorenc, USAFE; the Honorable Cornelius Akkerman, mayor; Howard Newson and his wife Norma (sister of William Myers), Kazmer Rachak (flight engineer); Keith Lambertus (nephew of William Lambertus) and his mother Arnhild; Katy and Quentin Ingerson (navigator); Dieter Hillig; and others from the German government and local notables.]

"This event, which seems to be out a movie -- is unfortunately real." Aghast by the attitude of the commander of the island at that time, the military guard and the passers-bye the chairman of the Defense Committee of the German Federal Government, Reinhold Robbe, during the celebration yesterday, called these a "shameful act." The memorial to the victims is indeed late, but not too late, resumed the member of Parliament and thanked the Rotary Club for showing the initiative. His sincerest condolences to the survivors and next of kin, who brought along relatives the entire way from America, to pay the fallen soldiers their last respects.

Mayor Cornelius Akkerman led the several hundred guests and islanders present with his thoughtful words back again to 4 August 1944. At that time a B17 bomber made an emergency landing on the island; one had to behave according international security agreements. "That didn't happen." "The Americans had to endure a brutal journey over the island with their hands up according to orders from the Island Commandant," the mayor painted a grim picture. They suffered terrible abuse, that no one tried to stop. Then came the first shot, the murderer would not be stopped, and "shot one after the other without interference from the guards of the prisoners." A soldier from Hamburg would be identified as the murderer; nevertheless, we stand here today stunned by this event."

What can we learn from this story, the official representative of the Lower-Saxony senate, Finance Minister Hartmut Möllring, also asked, and gave the answer himself: "We can always remind ourselves and others, to always treat others humanely with all our strength." The senator continued to imply that the people who behaved in an inhumane way on 4 August 1944, had to live with a guilty conscience brought on by the consequences of their conduct." Today is the time to appeal to the conscience of others to support and strengthen it. "And this can take place through a memorial stone."

The representative of the US Air Force intoned in his opening remarks, that the solemn dedication of the memorial stone serves as the final act. These seven murdered soldiers had made the ultimate sacrifice for peace and freedom. For that they are deserve the highest respect. In addition, he thanked the citizens of Borkum, who are ready to write the history, and with the memorial "to live on with a bitter inheritance."

Dieter Hillig, as the president of the Rotary Club of Borkum, in his speech also thanked the city of Borkum, for what he thought was the most proper place the memorial could have been located, and, together with the mayor unveiled the memorial stone. Previously, the flags of Borkum, Germany and the US were lowered to half mast.

This day stirs us and makes the old residents once again present, what once happened, led off Pastor Joachim Janssen on behalf of the churches of Borkum in the "darkest chapter in German history." He also posed the question about the reasons for remembering the million fold dead on both sides of the front. He also did not deny that there are many who would like to leave this time and questions alone. "Nevertheless, they don't rest!", he gave as the answer, and pointed out the stone with the names of the dead as a symbol for it. "This alone is our responsibility, which we must and want to accept." The clergyman further reminded us of the daily examples of man's inhumanity against man through the violence of war and terror.

"We don't want this, but it always continues to happen." he explained and closed with a poem from Hans Fallada: "The passage of time cannot be changed, but one can change ones self -- for the future."

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