TNVP

and then we met another friend

Personal initiative, coupled with courage, discipline and love. That's how it could be summed up, after a warm get-together over coffee and cake and many memories.

We are with Mr. and Mrs. Rau for the interview. Both were teachers at the school in Döllen for a long time. Döllen, which is about 11 km away from the New Village, had everything, including a school. Despite their 80, you can feel the drive of the two. The ringing of the old school bell had welcomed us at the door. Mr. Rau had saved it. How he saved many things from being thrown away.

The Rau's have done a lot, especially in a lot of voluntary work. They have not only managed the restoration of the old church and made it possible by collecting donations, but also the Christmas nativity plays, the village festivals. Always full of ideas, full commitment and much responsibility.

They both don't really want to talk about themselves, preferring to talk about what they have done, for example, about the plays, especially the one about the street. Or about the church, which was cold during the winter services. She is prepared, the Mrs. Rau, with documents and photos and a delicious eggnog cake.

What remains from all the stories is that the interaction with each other was obligatory, respectful and binding. And if you ask Mrs. Rau why she stayed here in the village, she says, well, because they needed me here.

We sit for coffee in the old schoolroom, today it is a living room of the Rau's. Everything is homemade. The old wooden doors give an impression of the past, although they are painted white. For a long time, Mrs. Rau taught the first three classes here. Her husband was a physical education teacher and you can still see it in his face today. They both studied teaching in the GDR and were transferred first to Kumtow, which is 4km away, and then to Döllen. Since then they are together.

And now there are a lot of folders and folders, a lovingly compiled archive about Döllen. A collection of stories and incidents, with photos and copies and copies of copies, because one had nothing else.

And the first impression remains: You can feel the commitment and strength of individuals, and the Rau's will still need it in the future. Now that they themselves are slowly becoming dependent on help, there is no infrastructure left in the village. Everything is far, far away.