Report by Mr. Christopher Blum, University Town of Tübingen
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, the City of On April 4, 2022, the University Town of Tübingen planted a Gingko sapling—second-generation Hiroshima atomic bomb Gingko tree—in the yard of newly built Tübingen Hospice. The Gingko tree, then a small seedling, was presented to the University Town of Tübingen by members of the Tübingen Peace Vigil in August 2020. While the hospice building was under construction, the city nursery took care of the seedling, which survived a heavy hailstorm in the summer of 2021.
The tree was planted by Lord Mayor Boris Palmer and Director of the Hospice, Dr. Gisela Schneider, in the presence of numerous guests. In their speeches they not only referred to the history and the meaning of the seedling. They also looked at the current situation, particularly the war in Ukraine, and the persistent threat of nuclear weapons. Mr. Palmer stressed the significance of local-level peace work, which Tübingen Peace Vigil has been carrying out for many years. Dr. Schneider referred to the tree’s new home as a peaceful place where dying is accepted and where life goes on. To both speakers, the Hiroshima Gingko tree, now growing in Tübingen, is a sign of peace, life and hope.
Photos: courtesy of the University Town of Tübingen