Fidel Kiflu was their brother, cousin and friend who passed away just 24-years-old weakened and distressed by what he endured during his perilous, long journey to escape Eritrea for a better life.
The group of Eritrean women and men standing crying and screaming near his coffin at the chapel of the German cemetery are in disbelieve about what has happened. The two year long flight from Eritrea had taken a toll on Fidel ending his young life on Monday, far away from his homeland.
His relatives and friends travelled from Germany, Switzerland and the United States to attend his funeral service in Wilhelmshaven. The group of thirty Eritreans held the funeral service together with the local pastor in German and Eritrean language. Two Eritrean women sang an Eritrean funeral dirge while his brother with tears in his eyes read passages of the Jesus resurrection from the gospel of Mark.
Together with the help of locals the Eritreans managed the highly emotional moment of returning his body to mother earth.
Despite their deep mourning it was very important to the Eritreans to express their gratitude to two Germans who helped Fidel and five other Eritreans since their arrival in Germany.
Without Henderika de Winter und Heinz Wolff it would also have been difficult to provide funds for a dignified funeral service and final resting place for our brother Fidel Kiflu.
Rest in peace.
Re-edited: 08 February 2014 from German weekly Jerbersches Wochenblatt.
