German Memories in Asia - German Royals

Some of the German music which was coming from the resort was really a combination of spiritual and romantic pieces of their centuries old classics by renowned composers Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Wagner.

While the music from the resort was mixing into the roaring waves of Indian Ocean, Maritsha was belly-dancing marvelously on the beach-sand stage. The surrounding greeneries of coconut trees gave her belly-dancing a spiritual blend. My discussion continued with Pascal Sadune and touched on the German royal families and their so-called descendants. He said they were still enjoying many privilleges in modern Germany.

As an unwritten law, the class differences had emerged well back in medieval times in Germany. In 14th century, early-modern German society gradually came into being as a result of economic, religious and political changes. A money economy arose which provoked social discontent among knights and peasants. Gradually, a proto-capitalistic system evolved out of feudalism. The Fugger family gained prominence through commercial and financial activities and became financiers to both ecclesiastical and secular rulers. The knightly classes found their monopoly on arms and introduced mercenary armies and foot soldiers.

Predatory activity by "robber knights" became common and after massive resistance in 1763 by the citizenry, an "enlightened absolutism" was established in Prussia and Austria, according to which the ruler was to be "the first servant of the state". Though the gap between the nobility and the citizenry was reduced to some extent, the impact of class differences is still a continuing phenomenon in modern German society.

German Memories in Asia - A Visit to War-Torn Area

Our six-vehicle convoy reached Vavuniya, the Northern-most border town of the Island, which separates the LTTE-controlled areas and the Sri Lankan Government-controlled areas.

The German Praktikum (Internship) students were enjoying the surroundings.


When we stopped near the Vavuniya clock tower along the highway, there were people, who gathered to see what was happening. It is a usual phenomenon in Asian rural areas when Europeans make visits. Whatever the hidden motive or drive which impels them to meet the white-skinned foreigners, especially the Europeans, it is something they would not miss as it is a chance in a lifetime among these village folk.

The obvious reason is that they hardly come across them in their remote places and do not have the wherewithal to travel to Europe and meet them. The combination of human aspiration, which drives one to see its fellow humans and an attraction towards the distant Homo sapiens cousins, is not something strange.


While we were discussing our next step towards entering into the LTTE-controlled territory, the LTTE's political wing head of Vavuniya Gnanavel came there with a Member of Parliament Kishor Sivanathan. After the Ceasefire Agreement between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE there has been a new development, which enabled the LTTE's political wing to operate in the Sri Lankan Government-controlled traditional Tamil areas.

I knew Gnanavel from my CARE days. He was attached at that time to the LTTE's section of Economic Development, a sub unit of their Political Wing. The Economic Development section was overseeing economic developmental issues ranging from minor and major tank renovations, Agriculture, Fisheries, Industries, Environmental protection, and so on in the LTTE-controlled areas and coordinating with local and International NGOs in various ways. Gnanavel is a friendly person and though he was attached to a rebel organization he would freely discuss various issues which are normally difficult to think of for a person who is from a militant movement.

He once asked me at one of the meetings what I would have to say regards setting up a village, which only accommodates women who have lost their husbands at war. I simply said you don't make an unofficial red light area in the eyes of others, for if one woman commits a mistake it would reflect on the rest of the women. He agreed with me.

There are widows not only on the Tamil side but also on the Sinhalese side as well and is problematic as it creates a lot of social and economic problems to the Island. Women are grief-stricken and traumatized when their husbands sacrifice their lives in confrontations.