Germany: Falun Gong is Deeply Rooted in the German Community

When practitioners tell Chinese people the true picture of the persecution against Falun Gong in China, sometimes they are asked why Falun Gong is so effective and influential outside of China. In Germany, there are only about two hundred practitioners. However, within five years, they have achieved remarkable results: many Germans, especially people in large cities, have heard of Falun Gong; many human rights organisations support Falun Gong; all politicians are aware of the persecution; articles about Falun Gong frequently appear in various German newspapers. Before the Jiang regime started its brutal persecution against Falun Gong in July 1999, this oriental cultivation method rarely attracted attention from Germany’s mainstream society.

For a Falun Gong practitioner, this phenomenon is not difficult to explain. Let us take you to the city of Augsburg in Southern Germany to join the information day organised by a few Falun Gong practitioners.

The weather on Saturday April 9th was not ideal; it started to rain in the early morning, followed by strong wind later. It was cold and wet. Such weather made one wonder how many people would be out on the street that day. At about 10:00am, a few local Falun Gong practitioners arrived at Moritz Square for the information day, with materials explaining Falun Gong and the persecution in China in both Chinese and German. They set up a table and rainproof tent, and laid out material on the table. All these items were bought and prepared by practitioners with their own money.

Just as the tent was finished, a practitioner from another city arrived by car carrying with him many materials for distribution. He was from another state and it took him three hours to get to Augsburg. Soon after, two practitioners from other cities arrived. With them were poster boards with pictures showing the persecution and Falun Gong practitioners peacefully doing exercises around the world.

Because practitioners organise information days frequently, if they see something missing, they just quietly buy it using their own money. When similar activities occur, they all know where to purchase the relevant things. This phenomenon of giving and never asking for reward is very closely linked with the benefits they experienced in Falun Gong. Through practising Falun Gong, they generally obtained a healthy body, a calm and peaceful mind, and a harmonious relationship with others.

Just imagine a person who is relieved of many years of physical suffering after learning the Falun Gong practice. Would he mind spending a few pounds to print leaflets which are used to eliminate people’s misunderstanding of Falun Gong? Take a person who finds inner-peace through Falun Gong in a hectic and nervous society and who no longer has problems sleeping: would he mind spending an amount equivalent to buying lunch to pay for an exhibition board to let more people know about the persecution and thus help his fellow practitioners in China?

There were not many people in the street in the early morning. Some practitioners started to demonstrate the exercises, accompanied by relaxing music. With the instructions on the exercise music, they gently closed their eyes and stretched their arms. At this moment, a father came with his two children; his young son is only six. The principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance have no national borders and apply to all ages. These two young children are also Falun Gong practitioners. Although they are very young, it is perhaps their unpolluted innocent natures that make them easily understand that it is wrong to persecute people for believing in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. Children’s innocent and bright smiles brought great warmth in this wet weather.

There were many people in the street who were happy to receive leaflets from Falun Gong practitioners, especially from the two youngsters. Many people crossed the street to come to read the posters. Some of them already knew about the terrible persecution in China, some didn’t. People signed the petition to show their support once they learned the truth. A practitioner asked the youngest practitioner: “Do you feel cold? Do you feel tired?” He shook his head and smiled: “No it’s not cold at all and I am not tired.” The whole day, he gave out leaflets to people with a big smile on his face.

Almost every Saturday, German practitioners organise Falun Gong information days in different cities across the country, sometimes with only one practitioner, sometimes with three or four. Because practitioners in Germany are spread around the country, every activity is organised by few practitioners, but many activities are held across the country.

This is only a small example but it’s a good reflection of practitioners’ efforts since the persecution began six years ago. The principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance are deeply rooted in practitioner’s hearts. It is this unshakable belief that has kept them going in their efforts to end this brutal persecution. Their objection to the persecution of Falun Gong in China is because they truly care for people. Their appeal to end this persecution is not just to help their fellow practitioners in China, it also tries to let the Chinese people see the disastrous consequences brought to society by persecuting Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance using lies and violence.