From Monrepos Open Air to the Olympics 2024

First of all, I need to correct a minor error from my previous article on the Monrepos Open-Air event. I wrote in the last paragraph, “Castle Monrepos with its lake we also a place he used to visit,” when it should have been “was.” I apologize for this oversight, especially given the challenging circumstances I’ve been navigating in the past few weeks.

My mother was recently discharged from Ludwigsburg Hospital after being treated for a heart condition. This coincided with the tragic death of artist Ben Vautier, whom I had the privilege of photographing twice last year. Balancing my mother’s health with my work from my parents’ home in Ludwigsburg has been quite challenging, especially without internet access. Working on an old American laptop with an external French keyboard, amidst the summer heat and lack of air conditioning, has added to the difficulty.

On top of this, I’ve been dealing with personal losses, including my brother’s death and the struggle to celebrate his 54th birthday without him. Although he passed away in 2003, this was the first birthday I’ve spent there without him, having lived outside my home country for over 20 years.

Now in Paris for the Olympics, I’m enveloped in the city’s excitement and noise. Being away from Germany, where the scars of the Aktion T-4 Euthanasia program still linger and justice remains incomplete, provides some relief. Yet, Paris itself bears its own historical weight, from the Vichy regime’s collaboration with the Nazis to Hitler’s visit to the Eiffel Tower.

A visit to Neckarweihingen, where my brother’s ashes were laid, was comforting. However, the gravesite has been returned to the city without a marker, which feels unjust. This situation raises questions about memorial recognition, often influenced by social status and economic factors. This personal loss has motivated me to find more meaningful ways to honor my brother and the victims of the T-4 program beyond a small newspaper ad I placed on his birthday.

In Paris, I noticed a lack of visible representation of individuals with conditions similar to my brother’s, which made public spaces feel somewhat isolating. It seems that families with healthy children are more prominently visible. Despite enjoying the city, I did not encounter any family with a child like my brother, whose condition was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.’ My brother’s condition might have been more severe due to additional complications like epileptic seizures.

Reflecting on my mother’s sacrifices—caring for my brother around the clock and protecting him from institutionalization—highlights her heroism, especially in light of historical atrocities. I felt particularly hurt when, the day after I placed an In Memoriam ad for my brother in the Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung, a full-page ad appeared in the same paper for a mother of six healthy children who works as a florist. When I saw this, I got up from the table and couldn’t read any further.

The betrayal by medical staff and state deception during Nazi Germany is deeply troubling. The Epilepsy Center in Kork-Kehl and Stetten, where my brother was treated, had a history of euthanasia. I recall that my brother was supposed to be hospitalized there—I must have been about five or six at the time—and his suitcase was already packed for what was supposed to be a new treatment. However, my mother, who was supposed to stay with him, decided against it at the last moment. Instead, they administered something else that caused his face to swell up like a balloon. There is a photo of him sitting on my father’s shoulders with a completely changed face.

https://www.e-periodica.ch/cntmng?pid=cuv-008%3A2018%3A89%3A%3A971

Given that the brains of victims of the T-4 Euthanasia program were used by the Max Planck Society until recent years, I wouldn’t be surprised if patients with disabilities were exploited for research purposes. It is also unsettling to find that a current doctor at the Epilepsy Center shares the same surname as Paul Nitsche, a historical figure associated with eugenics and euthanasia, though there is no evidence of a direct connection. Additionally, it seems strange that doctors predicted my brother wouldn’t survive puberty and that his medical files after age 13 are not retrievable. I don’t want to accuse anyone, but in light of Germany’s history and the fact that some perpetrators were never punished, this seems particularly suspicious.

Society often praises mothers with healthy children and successful careers, while the media primarily focuses on these individuals. My brother’s medical file from the 1980s highlighted how my mother’s caretaking had taken a toll on her and her understandable reluctance to institutionalize him. This context helps me understand her actions and forgive her for not being more present during my upbringing. Despite the challenges, she instinctively did what she believed was right. She deserves to have her work honored as much as other women’s. It’s one thing to raise six healthy children in a society that approves of raising healthy children, but quite another to raise one very ill child in a society with a history of killing them.

To honor the victims of such injustices, I’ve written a screenplay that I hope will be made into a film. Although I am new to screenwriting, I can vividly visualize the film, and I wrote it based on a true story that isn’t mine. I am seeking collaborators to help bring this project to life. Their suffering must be remembered and never be forgotten.

Amidst these reflections after my last trip to Germany, I enjoyed the Gypsy Kings’ music from the French Gendarmerie vans next to the Eiffel Tower and saw Jean Hélion’s Dragon triptych, which includes a depiction of a blind man—a condition Hélion himself faced later in life. This artwork is part of a stunning retrospective at the Modern Art Museum in Paris, on view until August 18, 2024. The exhibition highlights Hélion’s influence on American Abstract art, his personal and professional connections to the US, and his dramatic escape from the Nazis while serving as a French soldier.

The retrospective also reveals his return to figurative painting after the ‘Falling Figure’ in 1939, contrasting with the prevailing trend of abstract art, as well as his literary talents and the vulnerability he experienced later in life. This vulnerability is somewhat analogous to Joe Biden’s recent decision to forgo a second presidential term.

I also photographed French police officers on horses riding towards the Statue of Liberty on Île aux Cygnes and viewed Carole Feuerman’s temporary statue, The Diver, in front of the Eiffel Tower, on display throughout the Olympics. I was thrilled to hear that Simone Biles won Olympic all-around gold, especially after her battle with depression and her advocacy for mental health. This triumph contrasts sharply with Ben Vautier’s tragic decision to end his life and the Nazis’ attitude towards everything they considered lesser and racially inferior. For everyone out there feeling hopeless, take inspiration from Simone Biles and remember the profound injustice of the Nazi regime’s actions against those suffering from depression and other conditions.

Despite missing Lady Gaga’s and Céline Dion’s performances during the opening ceremony, I’m grateful for these moments of beauty and messages of love amidst our current challenges. Fortunately, there is YouTube, where one can still watch them. I hope all athletes and performers stay well and extend my congratulations to triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand. Although the Seine didn’t look inviting, I wish everyone health after swimming in it. To all involved in the Olympics 2024, success and well-being are important. However, please remember that winning is just one part of the journey, influenced by numerous factors, including weather and support systems, as I noted in an article for Common Talk, Xiamen’s weekly newspaper, during the Beijing Olympics.

French police officer Laure Lucas with her colleague on Île aux Cygnes during the Olympics 2024. Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz

Jean Hélion’s “Tensions” from 1932, featured in his current retrospective at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. ARETE/ Simone Suzanne Kussatz

Jean Hélion’s early abstract works from 1929 to 1939, featured in his current retrospective at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. Photo credit: ARETE/ Simone Suzanne Kussatz

A photo from the Jean Hélion retrospective at the Musée d’Art Moderne, featuring the 1939 painting ‘Fallen Figure’ (showing a man standing in front of it), which was his last abstract work before he returned to figurative painting. Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz.

Jean Hélion’s book “They Shall Not Have Me” is about the capture, forced labor, and escape of a French prisoner in World War II. Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz

Jean Hélion’s triptych ‘Dragon,’ inspired by the Rue du Dragon in Paris (7th arrondissement). As evident from the images, Hélion was captivated by the sights of shop windows, mannequins, and cyclists—elements that would be invisible to a blind person. Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz.

Another shot from the Jean Hélion’ retrospective with the triptych ‘Dragon’ from the distance. Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz

Artist Carole Feuerman’s sculpture “The Diver” in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz

A photograph of people enjoying the Eiffel Tower, a landmark designed by Gustave Eiffel, who also played a key role in the construction of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was shipped to America as a gift from France to celebrate the centennial of American independence. Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz

In this article that I wrote for Common Talk, Mr. Miao, a Chinese man who lives in London, mentioned that Chinese athletes might have an advantage over competitors from other nations due to a different support system. He pointed out that they may not have as extensive a support network, which could influence their performance. So, please keep this in mind if you’re not winning the gold medal. Photo credit: ARETE / Simone Suzanne Kussatz