Living overseas offers plenty of new opportunities for Americans: food, traditions, cultural events, and more. It’s probably the best part about the experience and why I urge people to accept an OCONUS posting if one is offered.
During my first year living in Bavaria, a heavily Catholic state in Germany, I learned about the various Catholic holidays that don’t carry as much weight in the United States. I celebrated my first Fasching, the German version of Carnival or Mardi Gras, complete with a parade prior to the lenten season. I’ve attended my fair share of Volksfests and other fests popular in Germany.
But this year was my first time experiencing Volkstrauertag, the People’s Day of Mourning. It’s a public holiday, when the German flag is flown at half-staff, and the citizens remember the violence and tyranny of all nations. This includes the service members—fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, sons and daughters—lost during conflict, but it also includes those who were murdered or persecuted for their faith or different points of view. It’s a time to remember those who sacrificed everything, but also serves as a warning—to never make the same mistake again.
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