Peace Only Comes Once a Year

A solemn moment – at least for the press photo. After that, everyday life returns. And that is anything but peaceful.

Year after year, the flag flies as part of the international flag campaign "Mayors for Peace." The goal sounds noble: "a symbol for a world without nuclear weapons." But what remains when the wind dies down and the flagpole is empty again?

“The international flag campaign takes place annually to set a sign for a world without nuclear weapons,” says the city’s press release. It continues: “This year, hoisting the peace flag also serves as a reminder of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

Beautiful words. But that’s the problem: it remains just words.

While politicians pose for the camera in front of the symbol of peace, weapons continue to flow into war zones, defense budgets are increased, and states – including Germany – are cheerfully rearming. More than 12,500 nuclear weapons exist worldwide, and no serious disarmament effort is in sight. But at least: the flag flies.

Since 2014, Weißenfels has been a member of the "Mayors for Peace" movement, founded in 1982 by Takeshi Araki, then mayor of Hiroshima. According to the statement, over 8,250 cities worldwide – “including more than 850 cities in Germany” – are part of the network. But what do these cities actually do – beyond hoisting a flag?

Admittedly: it is not the task of a municipality to conduct global politics. But if you want to set a sign, why stop at a symbol? Where are the school education initiatives against militarization? Where are the resolutions against arms exports? Where is the political pressure on the federal and state level for real disarmament policies? Where is the participation in the many peace demonstrations in the district?

“Mayors for Peace” supports the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. So does Weißenfels. And yet, Germany has not joined the treaty. No surprise: the Federal Republic is part of NATO, which relies on nuclear deterrence. And the US nuclear bombs are still there – to the applause of some security politicians.

The truth is bitter: peace comes to Weißenfels once a year. As a flag. As a symbol. As a calendar obligation. And after that? Then comes the great silence again – while elsewhere, the weapons speak.

It’s not the hoisting of the flag that annoys. It’s what’s missing: consistency. Courage. Political will. Peace is more than a photo. It is daily work – or it is nothing at all.

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