(Clearwisdom.net) Germany lies in central Europe and has much beautiful scenery. There are three most renowned tourist roads, Grape Wine Road, Fairy Tale Road, and Romantic Road. Each road is a few hundred kilometers long, and along the way, there are many castles and legendary scenes. Romantic Road is located between the small town Fussen at the foot of famous Neuschwanstein (castle), and the imperial city of Wurzburg. Among the magnificent village wilderness are one after another medieval towns. Everywhere along the romantic road are beautiful scenes. It's like pearls on a stylish necklace, connected with each other one after another. An the southern end of Romantic Road lies the ancient city of Augsburg.
One of the Oldest Cities in Germany
Augsburg is the third-largest city in Bavaria with a population of 500,000 citizens. It's the capital of Schwaben region and lies south of the river Danube, east of Ulm, west of Munich, and north of the Alps mountains. Founded in 15 B.C. by Drusus and Tiberius under the orders of their stepfather, the Roman Emperor Augustus, Augsburg has more than two thousand years of history. It is one of the oldest cities in Germany. Genghis Khan's Mongolian army once reached the city, but for some unknown reason, the army withdrew without attacking the city. The buildings in this ancient city are well preserved to this day.
Because of its strategic location as a trade and transport hub, Augsburg played a pivotal economic role during the medieval period and became an international metropolis. Visits by the Roman emperor and Imperial Assembly meetings was very common. Renowned artists were all willing to work here. During the Renaissance, creative areas in Augsburg such as architecture, music, and painting all reached very high level.
The First Falun Dafa Information Day
Falun Dafa has spread around the world. Augsburg is certainly no exception. In the early stage of Falun Dafa's introduction to the public, there were Germans who made contact with Falun Dafa and started to practice it. Falun Gong practitioners studied the Falun Gong teachings, did the exercises, and shared their cultivation experiences together. They also went to other places to attend the Falun Dafa experience sharing conferences and promote Falun Gong. After July 1999, when the Chinese Communist regime started its full-scale persecution campaign against Falun Gong practitioners in China, overseas Falun Gong practitioners have often held information day activities to let German society know what Falun Gong is and why the Chinese Communist regime wants to persecute Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners in Augsburg often take part in these activities, which are held in various places in Germany.
On January 26, 2002, Falun Gong practitioners organized the first information day at Moritz Square in the central Augsburg.
The first Falun Dafa information day in Augsburg
Practitioners demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises and gave out materials about Falun Dafa. Because the square is at the business center, there were many visitors. Many people stopped to read posters. People were also very interested in reading information about the origin of the swastika symbol. After seeing the photos of Falun Gong practitioners who were tortured to death by the Chinese Communist regime because of their belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, many people were shocked. People were also attracted by the beautiful and graceful Falun Gong exercise movements and asked for informational materials. Some people even started to learn the exercises on the scene.
Beautiful Things Should be Recognized
Falun Gong practitioner Bernhard Herman, a local resident of Augsburg, being interviewed by the media
On January 26, 2002, Augsburg Comprehensive Daily published an article entitled, "Beautiful Things Should be Recognized," reporting why Falun Gong practitioner Bernhard Herman, a local resident of Augsburg, went to Beijing to appeal:
"Born in Augsburg, Bernhard and some other western Falun Gong practitioners went to Beijing to protest the Chinese Communist regime's banning of a meditation movement. When he was about to unfold the banner 'Truthfulness-Compassion -Forbearance' at Tiananmen Square, he was thrown to the ground by special police and then taken away. After a few days, he was deported from China's capital. Without luggage and with no shoes, he returned to Frankfurt with painful memories of the Chinese police's brutality. Bernhard said, 'It is the most valuable experience of my life.' This therapist's eyes are calm, 'I must do something to help these practitioners who are detained in China.'"
The report mentioned that Falun Gong is founded by Master Li Hongzhi, who currently resides in New York. What is the most attractive part of this cultivation method? Its unique perspective has attracted over 100 million disciples within a very short few years. Bernhard said, "Dafa helps to upgrade people's moral standards."
The article said, "In 1989 Chinese student protesters were bloodily suppressed. Was he afraid when he stood at the Tiananmen Square? Bernhard admitted that he was at the beginning. He was searched on the train from Hong Kong to Beijing. He overcame his fear. His belief is, 'I didn't do anything bad. Nothing will happen to me.' He hoped that 'beautiful things will eventually be recognized.'"
Falun Gong is Present Every Year at the Multicultural Festival
Falun Gong booth
Practitioners were invited to demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises
Practitioners perform Lotus dancing in the parade
The World Solidarity Association in Augsburg organized the "Peace Cultural Festival" in Augsburg, which took place on July 3, 2004. Falun Gong practitioners were invited to participate. The theme of the festival was promoting peace, opposing violence, and respect for ethnic cultures. The organizer was very pleased to see the Falun Gong group in the activity.
The Falun Gong group was very prominent in the round-city parade. Behind the banner "Falun Dafa" was the lion dance. Big drums led the way, followed by a waist drum group and fan dancers. The audience gave warm applause and cheered wherever Falun Gong group was, and many people took photos. Female practitioners wearing white clothing walked slowly holding the photos of practitioners who were tortured to death by the Chinese Communist regime. The banners held by male practitioners advised people about the ongoing brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China and appealed to people to give Falun Gong moral support. Many people accepted truth clarification materials about Falun Gong, and wanted to know what is happening in China and why the Chinese Communist regime wants to persecute such a peaceful group.
The activity organizer, Ms, Hank, was very pleased that Falun Gong could join this parade with such wonderful programs. She said, "I think the most important thing for Falun Gong is that they let more people know the truth in Germany and Europe."
Falun Gong practitioners participate in the 2007 "Peace Cultural Festival"
Falun Gong practitioners in the 2008 "Peace Cultural Festival" parade
In recent years, Falun Gong practitioners have participated in every year's "Peace Cultural Festival" in Augsburg, bringing to people the beauty of Falun Dafa. They also conveyed the message to the general public that Falun Gong practitioners in China are being brutally persecuted by the Chinese Communist regime. People in Augsburg are very shocked.
Ms. Liu is studying at the University of Augsburg. She read the book Zhuan Falun before the persecution in 1999, but formed some negative impressions about Falun Gong after reading the overwhelming slanderous and defamatory propaganda being disseminated in China. This time she was shopping with her friends and saw Falun Gong practitioners wearing traditional Chinese clothing, and their exercise demonstration. She thought it was very good and beautiful. It was very different from what was reported in China. She decided to read Zhuan Falun again when she went home.
A Falun Gong practitioner who just came to Germany from China said that he was very happy to see overseas practitioners and their parade group. He said, "I only saw overseas practitioners' activities on the Internet before. Today I personally saw their parade group. I am truly very excited."
Mr. Andreas Erber is an amateur photographer. In the past, he took photos of Falun Gong groups in the "Peace Cultural Festival," and published them on his personal website. In 2009, he came specifically to thank Falun Gong practitioners on behalf of of his friend in China, thanking them for helping to break the Internet blockade in China and to learn more of the true facts.
European Divine Land Marching Band Bring Color to the Parade of the Cultural Festival
European Divine Land Marching Band in the 2009 Augsburg "Peace Cultural Festival" parade
On July 18, 2009, Falun Gong practitioners were invited to attend for the sixth time Augsburg's "Peace Cultural Festival." More than forty groups from Europe, Asia, and Africa attended this activity. This time, the Falun Gong group was the largest and most popular because the group was joined by over seventy members of the European Divine Land Marching Band. They were from Germany, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Holland, and other nations, and brought to the audience the songs "Falun Dafa is good," "The Fa Rectifies Heaven and Earth," and others. The marching band was followed by dancers wearing traditional Chinese clothing and practitioners demonstrating Falun Gong exercises. The peaceful and graceful exercise movements demonstrated the true nature of Falun Dafa cultivators. In the parade, Falun Gong practitioners also displayed banners reading, "Falun Dafa is Good," "Peaceful Practitioners are Being Persecuted by the Chinese Communist Regime," and others, telling people of the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Falun Gong practitioners later demonstrated the exercises on the stage. Many people came to the Falun Gong booth to see the posters showing the spread of Falun Gong around the world and exposing the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong. After learning about the evil crimes committed by the Chinese Communist regime in the past, and its inhuman persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, many people signed the petition, showing their support for Falun Gong. They also expressed their admiration for Falun Gong practitioners' courage, and encouraged practitioners to continue their efforts. There were also people who wanted to learn Falun Gong.
Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is an ancient cultivation method. Its Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance principles moved the minds and hearts of over 100 million people. The ancient city of Augsburg is no exception. Like Falun Gong practitioners in other countries and regions, practitioners in Augsburg want to improve their physical and spiritual wellbeings through cultivation, bringing to their families and society peace and happiness. Through their unrelenting efforts, they want to stop the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, giving back their free cultivation environment. This is the common wish of every Falun Gong practitioner in Augsburg.
