WFWP Austria held this event to promote Czech-Austrian reconciliation, on 4 April 2014.A report by Therese Heitzinger, WFWP Austria:'Mrs. Christa Scharf, Ambassador for Peace spoke on: “Renunciation of revenge and retribution (Charta of the Germans expellees)”. Mrs. Scharf was born 1929 in North Bohemia in the German speaking part. She explained, that in the past the people lived in harmony with the other ethnic groups until the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1919. North Bohemia had a lot of Industries and was very famous for her glassworks. Mrs. Scharf ’s parents were pastry-cooks. They treated their co-workers as if they were family-members. In May 1945 all the German speaking population was expelled by force like outlaws, leaving everything behind. Mrs. Scharf ’s family could survive thanks to their ex-workers and their own artistic abilities for handicraft. Mrs. Scharf herself is an artist (painter). With her whole family she successfully started a new life in Upper-Austria in the city of Enns. For a couple of years she held an Exhibition in Gablonz, North Bohemia. She used to paint sceneries and landscapes of her childhood in North Bohemia.Mrs. Scharf's message was never to built up hatred or feelings of revenge. She also participated in the 1st Sisterhood ceremony in Vienna between Austria and Czech Republic.During our event, the audience showed great interest in this precious testimony. Mrs. Scharf also showed jewelry she produced and some of her paintings.We shared drinks and cookies before breaking up.'
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