**LED Candles Removed from German War Graves, Raising Questions of Freedom of Remembrance**
In a surprise move, the German police removed LED candles from a war cemetery in Halbe, Germany, sparking a debate over the freedom of remembrance and the limits of public mourning. The candles, which were placed on the graves of fallen soldiers, were removed despite the efforts of a group of volunteers who collected funds to purchase the candles and install them on the graves.
The controversy began when a Facebook group, “Deutschlands Kriege und seine Soldaten 1813-1945” (Germany’s Wars and its Soldiers 1813-1945), launched a campaign to raise funds for LED candles to be placed on war graves in the Dahme-Spreewald region. The group’s goal was to create a special atmosphere on the graves of fallen soldiers. However, the authorities intervened, and the police removed the candles, claiming that the installation of the candles was an unauthorised gathering.
The police’s actions have been met with widespread criticism, with many questioning the authorities’ motives and the limits of freedom of remembrance. The group’s leader, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed his disappointment, stating that the authorities had acted in a way that was “unworthy of moral and ethical standards.”
The controversy has also raised questions about the role of right-wing extremist groups in the country. While the group’s leader denied any personal connections to right-wing extremist groups, some of the group’s supporters have been linked to such organisations.
The incident has also sparked a wider debate about the importance of remembering the past and the limits of freedom of remembrance. As one commentator noted, “The most important question in German politics today is: Who is beating the drum for war, and who is beating the drum for peace?