EL DESTINO DE LAS GUERRAS
Manuel Lasso
En el año 2013 escribí este artículo como parte de un mensaje de Navidad. Fue publicado posteriormente por la revista Atunis Galaxy Poetry. En ella se recuenta la posibilidad de que dos ejércitos enemigos, el británico y el alemán, deciden espontáneamente hacer un alto al fuego para vivir un instante de paz. Aunque sus superiores se oponen a esta reacción los soldados se retiran del campo de batalla para continuar con una existencia pacifica.
Recientemente apareció un cortometraje, hecho por cineastas germanos, que ha sido premiado por su calidad artística y su claro mensaje de paz. En él se narra el encuentro de dos soldados, uno alemán y el otro norteamericano, en medio de un confrontamiento bélico. Para calmarse el aliado toca con su trompeta la bien conocida melodía del Lili Marleen que hace recordar al alemán que es la cancion de él y de su esposa que está esperando un niño en su pueblo. Entonces los dos enemigos cesan sus hostilidades y dándose un apreton de manos concluyen que la carnicería que están cometiendo es algo que no debía de ser.
En estas dos obras se envía un mensaje indicando que la presencia de las guerras en estos momentos debería de ser proscrita en todo el mundo porque nos acercan cada vez más a la exterminación de la especie humana sin una razón trascendental.
Manuel Lasso
February 2022
MENSAJE DE NAVIDAD
Si, así como los soldados ingleses y alemanes hicieron un alto al fuego para cantar Stille Nacht (Noche de Paz) en la víspera del 25 de diciembre de 1914 en Ypres, Bélgica, los ejércitos que se encuentran en plena guerra, hoy en día, en este momento, dejasen los fusiles, abandonasen sus trincheras y con sus botas llenas de barro caminasen hacia las líneas adversarias a pesar de estar al alcance de la artillería enemiga y se encontrasen en el centro de la Tierra de Nadie para darse un abrazo fraterno y celebrar la Navidad juntos intercambiando botellas de vino, de whisky o de vodka, entregándose con una sonrisa fraterna cajetillas de cigarrillos, arbolitos de navidad y dulces en forma de bastones blancos, ofreciéndose tazas de chocolate caliente, regalándose unos a otros sus bayonetas y sus pistolas para que se las diesen a sus hijos como recuerdos de una guerra que nunca debió de ser y se contansen cosas de sus familias y se tomasen fotos, abrazados y felices de estar logrando una paz imposible y si llegase la madrugada y siguiesen haciendo lo mismo, todo conflicto bélico llegaría a un cese del fuego. Y si los hombres insistentes se quedasen en el campo de batalla, entre alambrados y escombros, tratándose con amabilidad y hablándose con respeto, como seres humanos maduros y responsables, acerca de las tragedias de la humanidad y aunque los oficiales de ambos bandos saliesen de sus trincheras con un pito en la boca, para acercarse a sus hombres y cada cual, insultando y empujando a sus soldados con una pistola dirigida al cielo y con ojos feroces los conminasen a regresar a sus puestos para continuar con la batalla en nombre de la Patria, amenazándolos con dispararles en el acto y prometiéndoles cortes marciales y aunque los generales bombardeasen sin misericordia ese lugar y soltasen nieblas de gases venenosos para obligarlos a retornar, los soldados no les hiciesen caso y sin mirar a sus superiores continuasen platicando entre ellos y abandonasen ese descampado, abrazados de los hombros como lo hacen los niños, hablando del buen vino y la buena comida de sus tierras y de las mujeres amadas que dejaron atrás y de los hijos queridos que los esperan ansiosamente detrás de sus ventanas, estas guerras no proseguirían. Y si además todos los soldados que hubiesen fallecido ese día en defensa de la patria se levantasen y con sus uniformes manchados de sangre, pálidos y exangües, se les uniesen para beber de una botella de vino y se alegrasen y participasen del jolgorio, las acciones bélicas no se extenderían. Sin embargo, como siempre, el resentimiento contra el rival que todos los humanos tenemos, tal vez podría más y el conflicto continuaría. Nos corresponde a nosotros, Homo Sapiens de todos los siglos, saber que esa posibilidad existe y que debemos de ponerla en práctica. Cuando aprendamos a hacer eso viviremos en tregua permanente y en paz.
Manuel Lasso
Diciembre del 2013
THE FATE OF WARS
In 2013 I wrote this article as part of a Christmas message. It was later published by the Atunis Galaxy Poetry magazine. It recounts the possibility that two enemy armies, the British and the German, spontaneously decide to make a ceasefire to experience a moment of peace. Although their superiors oppose this reaction, the soldiers withdraw from the battlefield to continue a peaceful existence.
A short film recently appeared, made by German filmmakers, which has been awarded for its artistic quality and its clear message of peace. It narrates the meeting of two soldiers, one German and the other North American, in the middle of a military confrontation. To calm down, the ally plays the well-known melody of Lili Marleen with his trumpet, which reminds the German that it is his song and his wife's, who is expecting a child in his town. Then the two enemies cease their hostilities and shaking hands conclude that the carnage they are committing is something that should not be.
In these two works a message is sent indicating that the presence of wars at this time should be banned throughout the world because they bring us ever closer to the extermination of the human species without a transcendental reason.
Manuel Lasso
February 2022
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
If as the British and German soldiers made a cease fire to sing Stille Nacht ( Silent Night ) on the eve of December 25, 1914, in Ypres, Belgium, the armies at war today, at this very moment, dropping their rifles, would leave their trenches and with their muddy boots walk toward the opposing lines, despite being within reach of the enemy artillery, to find themselves in the middle of No Man's Land and greet each other with a fraternal hug, to celebrate Christmas together, exchanging bottles of wine, whisky or vodka, presenting themselves, with a fraternal smile, cigarettes, Christmas trees, white candy canes and cups of hot chocolate, handing over their bayonets and pistols to be given to their children as memories of a war that never meant to be and telling about their families and taking photographs, embracing and happy of making an impossible peace and if dawn would come and they would continue doing the same, wars would come to an end. And if the insistent men would remain on the battlefield, among wires and rubble, treating each other with kindness and talking with respect, as mature and responsible human beings, about the tragedies of humankind and although officers from both sides would leave their trenches, with a whistle in the mouth, to approach their men, pushing them with a gun pointed at the sky and with fierce eyes ordering them to return to their places to continue the fight on behalf of the motherland, threatening to shoot them and promising courts-martial and although their Generals would mercilessly bomb the place or release toxic gases over them, to force them to go back, the soldiers would not pay attention and would continue talking among themselves and would leave the place, embracing as children do, speaking about the good wine and the wonderful food from their lands and about the loving women they left behind and the little children who waited anxiously for them behind their windows, these wars would not continue. And if all the soldiers who had died that day in defense of the country would come back to life and with their bloodstained uniforms, pale and bloodless, would join them to drink from a bottle of wine, rejoicing and participating in the fun, the war would not progress. However, as always, if resentment against the enemy, which all humans have, would persist, the conflict would keep on. It is up to us, Homo Sapiens of all centuries, to know that such a possibility exists and that we are morally obligated to implement it. When we learn to do that, we will live in permanent peace.
Manuel Lasso
December 2013
If as the British and German soldiers made a cease fire to sing Stille Nacht ( Silent Night ) on the eve of December 25, 1914, in Ypres, Belgium, the armies at war today, at this very moment, dropping their rifles, would leave their trenches and with their muddy boots walk toward the opposing lines, despite being within reach of the enemy artillery, to find themselves in the middle of No Man's Land and greet each other with a fraternal hug, to celebrate Christmas together, exchanging bottles of wine, whisky or vodka, presenting themselves, with a fraternal smile, cigarettes, Christmas trees, white candy canes and cups of hot chocolate, handing over their bayonets and pistols to be given to their children as memories of a war that never meant to be and telling about their families and taking photographs, embracing and happy of making an impossible peace and if dawn would come and they would continue doing the same, wars would come to an end. And if the insistent men would remain on the battlefield, among wires and rubble, treating each other with kindness and talking with respect, as mature and responsible human beings, about the tragedies of humankind and although officers from both sides would leave their trenches, with a whistle in the mouth, to approach their men, pushing them with a gun pointed at the sky and with fierce eyes ordering them to return to their places to continue the fight on behalf of the motherland, threatening to shoot them and promising courts-martial and although their Generals would mercilessly bomb the place or release toxic gases over them, to force them to go back, the soldiers would not pay attention and would continue talking among themselves and would leave the place, embracing as children do, speaking about the good wine and the wonderful food from their lands and about the loving women they left behind and the little children who waited anxiously for them behind their windows, these wars would not continue. And if all the soldiers who had died that day in defense of the country would come back to life and with their bloodstained uniforms, pale and bloodless, would join them to drink from a bottle of wine, rejoicing and participating in the fun, the war would not progress. However, as always, if resentment against the enemy, which all humans have, would persist, the conflict would keep on. It is up to us, Homo Sapiens of all centuries, to know that such a possibility exists and that we are morally obligated to implement it. When we learn to do that, we will live in permanent peace.
Manuel Lasso
December 2013
Lili Marleen
2021
German short film:
RESPUESTAS:
Querido Manuel, me hiciste llorar de ternura y esperanza cuando leí tu cuento y vi el cortometraje
Te aprecio mucho, hermano
Ernesto
From: Manuel <prvasq131195@aol.com>
Sent: lunes, 21 de febrero de 2022 16:09
Subject: Version correcta
Gracias Manuel,
Tanto tu escrito sobre el retiro de tropas como el film hermano sobre el sinsentido de las muertes planificadas, complementan el sentido de la paz en Europa. Un tema actual con la expansión del gran oso R que quiere anexar U y y’a movilizó su armada estratégica en regiones que resisten.
Muy poderoso el encuentro de dos soldados enemigos que se dan cuenta que la vida y sus familiares son valores superiores al poder ciego de intereses económicos o ideologías extremistas.
Abrazos,
