As I am Czech and value the Czech-German relationship and since we move daily between two countries, I would like to tell you the following story, which is more of an advertisement for the relations between two countries and the people living in them.

On January 16th of this year, I was driving through the German Upper Lusatia during one of the few snowstorms we´ve had this winter. The "Bundesstrasse" (state road) from Löbau was closed in several places and one of the detours went through the town of Herrnhut. It was founded in 1722 by Moravian exiles (Moravia is part of the Czech Republic). Their descendants started to produce the world-famous Herrnhuter stars here 160 years ago. My eyes were drawn to something that is not very common in other German towns - a Czech flag flying on a wooden flagpole contrasting with the snowy landscape. I drove further towards the Czech Republic when it occurred to me that I should turn back.

I turned around and parked in the yard near the flagpole. I had no idea who the flag might belong to. I looked around the yard and saw a bike repair shop and a bike shop. Inside, an elderly lady greeted me and asked me in German what I wanted. I told her that I was from the Czech Republic and would just like to ask why the Czech flag was flying here. She very calmly replied that she and her husband had raised the flag in support of Czech sovereignty. We talked for a while about the sovereignty of both countries and the difficulties that both countries are going through. Before her husband came in, she concluded the conversation by saying: "In our country we say that every opinion should be heard and then put in a drawer." I then had an even longer conversation with her husband Michael, and he allowed me to publish a photo of him with the Czech flag, as long as it was for the purpose of promoting friendly relations between the Czech Republic and Germany. We both looked at each other in silence for a while, eye to eye, and reflected on this coincidental situation. I asked if we could be friends and we shook hands. After a few days Mr. Michael sent me the following message, which he allowed me to publish at my discretion. It said:

„Hi Ondrej, after a fall resulting in a fractured femoral bone at the Malevil Cup 2023 in the Czech Republic just outside the village of Naděje, I was spontaneously worried that I would be taken to a Czech hospital because the doctors and nurses were fleeing to Germany for work. But to my great surprise, the trip with the Czech ambulance service and the reception at the hospital in Česká Lípa, including the operation and care, was extremely friendly and professional. The doctors and nurses never seemed to be stressed and always listened to the patients. ... The West German gentleman I was sharing the room with felt the same way and said he would now have all his treatment in the Czech Republic. I would also like to say that I have a great deal of respect for the Czech people, who have taken the road to democracy and a market economy entirely on their own without the Deutschmark and the financial support of the Federal Republic of Germany. My impression today is that the Czech Republic is no worse off than the new federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany in terms of infrastructure, competitiveness and the standard of living of its citizens. What also impresses me is that the people in the Czech Republic are much more relaxed and happy. I´d like to tell you a little story: in 1997 I was riding my road bike near Doksy and saw a young Czech cyclist taking out of his old rusty Skoda Favorit a new, elegant and expensive Cannondale road bike. Yes, he was just prioritizing. With sporting greetings - Michael“

Author: Ondřej Krabs
Published with kind permission of Michael H.