This was when the armistice which ended the First World War was signed, at 11 minutes past 11.00 am on the 11th November, 1918, bringing to an official end the Great War which had claimed the lives of millions of young men from Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Russia as well as from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and other Commonwealth countries.
The signing of the armistice in 1918 [Britannica]
Curiously, this date is when the German Festival "Fasching" starts. This is an extravaganza of booze, debauchery, fancy dress, live music and stalls selling Bratwurst, Hamburger, Pommes (chips) and tacky souvenirs and craft products.
[Photo: deutschland.de]
Me and this date
I value the significance of Remembrance Sunday, which is the nearest Sunday to 11th November.
In England I took part from a young age, as a Cub Scout and later as a Scout, sometimes having the honour of bearing the flag of our troupe.
As an adult I sometimes attended the outdoor event in my town. If not, I would turn on the TV at 11.00 am to watch the ceremony at the Cenotaph in London.
Cub scouts on Remembrance Day [unattributed]
I always wore a poppy.
Since I've lived in Spain (17 years) I always tuned in to the BBC coverage on the telly. This year I decided I wanted to sport a British Legion poppy. I placed a message on WhatsApp asking if it was possible to get a poppy here in Spain.
I got lots of helpful replies, as a result of which I have a delightful hand-made poppy and a standard cellulose version is also on the way.
There are a number of places on the coast and in Gibraltar where they are available, too.
"Fasching"
This rather Bacchanalian festival in Germany is also enjoyable, although it has nothing to do with war (well, Germany lost both, didn't they!).
The most memorable Fasching for me was in 2003 when my daughter Amy was dispatched to Cologne for her compulsory year abroad (she studied German at Oxford), and she asked me to go with her to help her find accommodation.
Well, we managed that in double quick time. Our time in Cologne coincided with Fasching, so off we went, my 20-year-old daughter and me, her 53-year-old dad.
Well, what fun we had! We drank far too much beer (I brought my daughter up to appreciate the good things in life!). But the best thing was, one of my favourite groups back then, Londonbeat, were performing in the open air. They were sensational.
[Youtube]
Endword
I shall proudly wear my "poppy" up until Remembrance Sunday. I shan't be going to Fasching in Germany, but I'll definitely pop "Londonbeat" on the stereo - for old times' sake!
Links
I've Been Thinking About You - LONDONBEAT @ZDF-Fernsehgarten - 05/06/2016
Londonbeat - I've Been Thinking About You (Official Video) [4K Remastered]
© The History Man (Paul Whitelock)
Pictures:
Britannica, deutschland.de, Youtube, ZDF-Fernsehgarten,
Tags:
armistice, Australia, Belgium, Bratwurst, Britannica, British Legion, Canada, Cenotaph, Cologne, Commonwealth countries, cub scout, deutschland.de, Fasching, First World War, France, Germany, Great Britain, Great War, Hamburger, Londonbeat, Netherlands, New Zealand, Paul Whitelock, Poland, Pommes, poppy, Remembrance Sunday, Russia, scout, South Africa, The History Man, Youtube, ZDF-Fernsehgarten,