Funeral of Roger Willemsen: tears and buttercups – t-online.de

Hamburg (dpa) – “I want to make people happier to leave, as I have found it” – a word from Roger Willemsen. His friend, the journalist Manfred Bissinger (75), it quoted at the emotional funeral, took leave of the author and intellectuals with the family, friends and companions on Monday in Hamburg

Willemsen. – best-selling author, television presenter and one of the most famous intellectuals of Germany – had succumbed on February 7 at the age of 60 years of a cancer. Several hundred mourners arrived at the Ohlsdorf cemetery. In the past Fritz Schumacher hall light shone through stained glass windows in the simple, bright coffin seemed to rest in a sea of ​​burning candles, colorful flowers and budding magnolia branches.

Willemsens life principle is “the love been in the truth, “Bissinger said. In all speeches, the high analytical capabilities of virtually tireless intellectuals seemed to, but also his great empathy, his ability to reliable friendship and love and always the horizon widens encounters with him. What did his willingness to pinpoint constructive criticism entirely enclosed. It often happened at the lectern and the mourners to tears and sobs.

For musical accompaniment made during the half hour ceremony, the violinist Isabelle Faust with the serious-emotional presented Chaconne by Bach. At the end rang off the line Keith Jarrett Meditation “Blame It On My Youth”. For special gesture it became that visitors were allowed to take pots with blooming buttercups from the foot of the coffin back home -. Willemsens favorite flowers

Among the mourners were numerous celebrities, including the Green Party politician Claudia Roth, the actor Iris Berben, Katja Riemann and Matthias Brandt and the Host Eckart von Hirschhausen. Before the hall was a small table by the Afghan Women’s Association with three photos where Willemsen had as its patron seen at his work in Afghanistan. In the mourning listing the deceased’s family had been asked for donations to the association.

The Chair Nadia Nashir described in her speech the passionate commitment Willemsens for the construction of wells and hospitals as well as for girls’ education. “As a ray of light” was his work for the people of Afghanistan and for the Afghan people in Germany, said Nashir.

The author and publisher Werner Köhler recalled the last months of terminally ill Willemsen, who already by itself the public had withdrawn. The former world travelers have since also taken leave of life by once again visited him important sites, Köhler said. These museums have heard a zoo with his beloved monkey and a trip to Norway, to sit on a fjord.

After the funeral, the funeral took place in the inner circle. Willemsen had won reputation, particularly with essayistic travel books ( “The ends of the world”). Recently landed started with his book “The House” (2014) about the Bundestag a bestseller. On television, he was particularly in the 90s with the ZDF talk show “Willemsens week” a name.