This is a call for German-French friendship

The closure of the border at Hirschthal and the other surrounding border crossings in the Sauer Valley was a shocking experience for many residents of our villages. This decision hit our two areas hard, all the more since we signed a partnership convention in November 2019 and worked on a future joint strategy during our council meetings. We remember one of the principles that were mentioned at the Council meeting on February 6th in Froeschwiller: “No more barriers in our border area”.

The sanitary situation in Alsace at the beginning of March certainly justified border controls by police officers, but the erection of barriers to actually seal off the border was much less understandable.

At first our cross-border commuters were simply refused entry to Germany. When they were finally allowed to go back to work, they had to take a considerably longer way to work because the border crossing in Hirschthal remained hermetically sealed.

This had not only professional, but also far-reaching psychological and sociological repercussions. From one day to the next, they were given the feeling of being excluded, of being strangers, potential threats - virus carriers - of the German population: suddenly they were stigmatized by people and structures that had previously always treated them as equal citizens same rights as locals. How could one justify unequal treatment, even discrimination, among employees within a company, despite local and national statements in conventions or resolutions to the contrary?

In addition to this shock for the cross-border commuters, there was also the hostile reaction of the German population in the shops or at the petrol stations. Although these reactions were only supported by a minority, they were picked up and disseminated by the media in such a way that resentment arose in the Alsatian population.

Thus, a hasty political decision, made out of fear, has affected all the numerous efforts of local authorities and associations which, with great merit, convince and unite men and women who have grown up in suspicion of friendship and brotherhood.

And it was precisely this friendship and solidarity that later came to fruition, particularly in the healthcare sector, where the German authorities made it possible for numerous patients to be admitted to German hospitals.

The three-month ban on refueling or buying beer in the neighboring country or enjoying French cuisine will be forgotten pretty quickly. The excitement, insults, and sometimes even slander, have, however, impressed themselves on the collective consciousness. We all hope that from a distance those affected will not forget the context of a sanitary disaster.

Let's be honest! How would the French authorities have reacted in the opposite case, if Baden or the southern Palatinate were badly affected by the virus, but the neighboring Alsace had been spared? What would the reaction of the Alsatian population have been in this situation? You can bet that everyone would have behaved exactly as we experienced in the actual case.

The child is in the well; Today is about learning lessons for the future. If, for whatever reason, a situation like this were to repeat itself, only immediate concertation by all those responsible can prevent us from having to experience the same trauma again.

We appeal to those responsible in our governments to ensure that such a situation never occurs again. At the same time, we appeal to all women and men in our region to put aside any mistrust they may have towards their neighbors and to continue on the path of mutual understanding with a greater will to achieve mutual understanding. Demonizing the incidents of the last few weeks would only benefit the opponents of our cooperation and strengthen nationalisms.

Today more than ever we need to live together and stick together, to exchange ideas and to deal with the experiences. Our national history, local or personal stories should continue to pave the way for us and guide us so that our closeness becomes even more unifying. The long-term efforts of the representatives from Sauer-Pechelbronn and the community of Dahner Felsenland have enabled a common reaction against the closure of the borders and the maintenance of their more than friendly relations. These relationships should help to enable an even greater opening towards the partner so that one day this community of life can arise in the service of all people, men and women, who make up the wealth and character of our shared border region.

The mayors of the Franco-German Stammtisch
Dahner Felsenland and Sauer-Pechelbronn
Lembach, am 2. July 2020