Easter in Bad Godesberg Now is the resurrection
Bad Godesberg · Is there life after death? An undertaker, a midwife, two church musicians and a religious cabaret artist from Bad Godesberg give their views on the subject and talk about their daily professional lives.
Early on Easter morning the sounds of the trombone echo around the cemetery at the large cross, just like every year. And following the Easter vigil, the hymns will herald the resurrection of Jesus Christ, here at the place where many Godesberg residents are buried. Is that not a contradiction, to celebrate the return to life amongst the graves of the dead? Bad Godesberg undertaker Jörg Ungerathen says no. Most of his customers who wanted to bury their dead believe in an afterlife, even if many do not belong to the church or are not at one with their God.
“Every day at the grave, undertakers see just how comforting the bible verses are, expressing this human sense of basic trust”. Such as in the verse: “See, I am with you until the end of the world”. “In the face of loss, people want to talk,” says Ungerathen. “And at this time of year, the springtime, many relatives find that the power of nature is so great, that there is a new awakening after every winter”.
And there is another occupation who is very positive about the issue of resurrection: the women who are there at the beginning of life. Even after years of working with expectant women, the birth of a child is always a wonder, says Dinah Link of the Rheinallee midwife practice. Her colleague Laura Indelicato is cuddling the tiny Matteo who she delivered to the world four weeks ago.
With professionalism, the midwives say that the feeling is indescribable, every time they place a newborn baby into the arms of the parents. In the delivery room, life and death are close to one another, says Link. Giving birth is still a risk, even today. Every midwife has experienced a still birth. “But when the child first catches sight of the world, we are all grateful that a new life can begin”.
This fresh lease of life at Easter time is also felt by artists in Bad Godesberg, for instance church musicians. After Lent it is time for a jubilatory “Halleluja”, says the catholic choirmaster Joachim Sarwas. Songs are selected with lively major keys and quick three beat rhythms which have a dance-like feeling. It is a delight to play joyful songs again. His evangelic colleague Christoph Gießer agrees. After the gloomy tones of the Holy week, he can play “light and bright sounds with increasing momentum, quick and lively passages” on the organ. “I’m pleased to bring music to the children over Easter. They are themselves the beginning of life,” says Gießer. Even trumpets can be played by children in the service: their magnificent and radiating sounds symbolise the power and triumph of life over death.
And how does a cabaret artist see things? In his program celebrating 500 years since the reformation, Konrad Beikircher massages the laughter muscles with religious topics. As one of those “with the right beliefs,” which in the Rhineland means catholic, he beats the protestants well and truly around the ears. If everyone wanted to be resurrected, says Beikircher in his typical manner, it would be way too cramped. And what do people think? That should be clear he says, “it is a personal decision, if you want to stay down here or not.” And what about the resurrection of Jesus? “If we can’t manage to be nice to each other in life, why do we want to be resurrected? replies Beikircher. And what is then the quintessential for Konrad Beikircher? “Get up now and do something!”
(Original text: Ebba Hagenberg-Miliu Translation: Caroline Payne)
