Famous mourners Norbert Blüm buried at the old cemetery in Bonn
Bonn · After a funeral service on Tuesday morning in the St. Elisabeth church in Bonn, Norbert Blüm was buried in the early afternoon in the Old Cemetery. Well-known faces from the world of politics also attended the funeral service.
In the presence of the closest relatives and political celebrities, the Bonn politician Norbert Blüm was buried in the Old Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon. The funeral service took place earlier in the church of St. Elisabeth. From 10 am to 3 pm, the citizens of Bonn could sign a book of condolence in front of the old city hall.
"I wrote in the book of condolence on behalf of the German Red Cross Sisterhood", Alina Wolbert told the GA. When Bonn was still the capital, he had had a lot to do with the Sisterhood. "He was also heavily involved in nursing.“
Alfons Pieper from Bonn also signed the book of condolence. "I met Norbert Blüm in the 70s. He was still living in Remagen then," says Pieper, who is a journalist by profession. As parliamentary correspondent, he had accompanied Blüm on various trips. "He was a militant and upright fighter for social justice and minorities. He rightly earned great respect across party lines."
Book of Condolence initiated by Bonn's CDU
The book of condolence was initiated by the Bonn CDU. Henriette Reinsberg, city councillor of Südstadt, still has a special memory of Blüm, who died on 23 April. "We invited him again and again. He always spoke such encouraging words," she remembers. He was a person who radiated a great deal of strength and confidence. "I wrote to him just a few weeks ago and wanted to cheer him up. By then he was already paralysed." To which he replied: "I've made up my mind that I'm only angry about what I can change.“
Das Leben von Norbert Blüm in Bildern
"I remember Blüm as an honest and humorous person," said Christian Steins, city councillor for the CDU. He had not always taken everything deadly seriously. Steins also emphasised that he always approached people. "And that he still travelled to the refugee camps in Greece. I am very impressed. He made us realise that we also have a responsibility to the refugees.“
Gunnar Gmilkowsky, head of the Europe working group, spoke about Blüm with such enthusiasm and vividness as if his experiences with him were only a few days ago. "He happened to be passing by on the market square when we were holding our Europe Day. I thought it was so brilliant, what a show the man put on." Because although Blüm was actually on his way home from shopping, he took an hour to explain the advantages of Europe. "Especially for the young, Blüm was the best advertisement for Europe and the CDU.“
Many familiar faces from politics
After the service in the St. Elisabeth Church in Südstadt, the mourners drove to the Old Cemetery where Blüm was buried. Well-known politicians such as former Bundestag President Nobert Lammert (CDU), Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) and Deputy Prime Minister Joachim Stamp (FDP) also paid their last respects to the former Federal Labour Minister. The black coffin of Blüm was laid in his grave under a wine-red pavilion. One by one, relatives and friends of the politician said goodbye.
Eva Hüttenhain, chairwoman of the Society of Friends and Supporters of the Old Cemetery in Bonn, was at first surprised that Blüm would be buried in the Old Cemetery. "Normally a sponsorship is taken out. But in this case I think it is right. He has been a citizen of Bonn for such a long time and had solidarity with his fellow men in Bonn. And then he went to the island of Lesbos. My deepest respect", says Hüttenhain. The grave lies beautifully under a large chestnut tree. Since it is a coffin burial, he must be buried well away from the plane trees.
Original text: Thomas Leurs
Translation: Mareike Graepel
