Choir of Survivors

'Choir of Survivors' Statue,
a gift from our friends at the Frauenkirche in Dresden

On Sunday 20th May, a new statue was unveiled in the Coventry Cathedral Ruins. The statue titled ‘Choir of Survivors’ was dedicated to civilians killed or injured in aerial bombing during wars past and present. During the act of dedication specific reference was made to German civilians killed in the allied bombings in 1940-1945.
 
The ceremony was part of the 50th Anniversary events which commemorates not only the work of the Peace and Reconciliation Ministry during the past five decades but looking towards the future as the Ruins are rededicated to be a permanent memorial to civilians killed, injured or traumatised by war and violent conflict.

             
The statue, created by German Sculptor Helmut Heinze, is the first permanent memorial to German civilians within the grounds of Coventry Cathedral.

"An important part of our anniversary is not only to celebrate the past 50 years and the work in Peace and Reconciliation, but also to look forward to the future and to provide a safe space, a haven to remember those civilians killed or injured in wars across the globe," commented the Very Reverend John Irvine, Dean of Coventry. "When my predecessor, Provost Howard, had the words ‘Father Forgive’ placed on the Ruins, it was not focused just at our enemies but on us all for the actions and impact of war."

"Reconciliation can be said to have truly happened when we are able to memorialise the suffering of our enemies," continued David Porter, Canon Director for Peace and Reconciliation, "This is a significant event in Coventry’s story of Peace and Reconciliation and will enable us to talk not only of the night of 14th November 1940 and how the people of Coventry coped with the aftermath, but also of the suffering of other cities, towns and communities across the world."

Bishop Christopher discussing the sculpture with its creator Helmut Heinze