Together Winners

During the final year of the centenary, we embarked on a youth-centred UK-German creative arts project with kind support from our partners: the British Embassy in Berlin, Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, UK-German Connection and the British Council. We invited young people aged 9-16 from across Germany and the United Kingdom to draw on the events of the First World War and create messages of hope and unity.

We wanted those that participated in Together to take pride in their contribution and so every entrant received a personalised Certificate of Commendation. 

Over 70 winners from across the UK and Germany were invited to a very special Tea Party at the British Embassy in Berlin where they were presented with their certificates by Ambassador Sir Sebastian Wood and had the opportunity to showcase their work to a distinguished audience. Winners also took part in a joint songwriting workshop with NSI practitioner, Bethzienna.

A selection of entries to Together feature in our beautiful hardback Anthology which may be purchased via the following link:

Never Such Innocence - The Centenary of the First World War: Children's Responses through Poetry, Art & Song

All of the winning entries for Together may be found below.

School Years 5-6  /  Ages 9-11

What Can We Change
by Leonie Janett Becher and Sophia Sada from Gesamtschule Berger Feld, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

A bird was flying over the battlefield in the midnight light
She heard the screaming of soldiers at night,
She did not understand this kind of war
She just understand the end is far! 

People who kill each other are made by hate
For forgiveness it´s already too late.
Everyone just wants to live a peaceful life
With children, husband or a wife!

The war is obviously kind of strange
Let us talk about what we could change
Is there something we can do
Tell me who I have to speak to.

Peaceful Land
by Bellefield Primary School from Wiltshire, United Kingdom

School Years 7-9  /  Ages 11-14

Peace
by George Sanders from Hampton School, Hampton, United Kingdom

Little poppy given to me,
Help me keep the world safe and free
I’ll wear a poppy as red as can be,
To show that I remember those who fought for me.

May all the world know peace and tranquility,
May all the world live in their land peacefully,
Let us all work and play in serenity
As we stand together in perfect unity.

Letters from the war
by Isaac Preston and Liam Devlin from King David High School, Liverpool, United Kingdom

29 Dezember 1914
Western Front, Belgium

Liebe Isak,

Ich vermisse dich so sehr und kann es karum
erwarten, dich zu sehen. Das ist so mutig von dir,
allein zu gehen und mit dem Feind ze reden, ich
bin so stolz auf dich, Ich hoffe wirklich, dass du
bald nach Hause kommst, wahrend du den Krieg
gewinnst. Wie war das Fußballspiel? Ich hoffe
wirklich, dass es großartig war und dass du ein
paar Tore geschossen hast. Ich vermisse dich
wirklich und dein Vater auch, es ist so schwer, es
in Worte zu fassen, aber bitte komm bald nach
Hause.

Frohe Weinachten und frohe weinachten.
Liebe Mutter

Together
by Honor Thompson, Imogen Allen and Kate Le from Altrincham Grammar School, Cheshire, United Kingdom

Friends of the Future
by Alina Bier and Osman Sönmez from Gesamtschule Hattingen, Hattingen, Germany

Strophe 1- I Have a map in my hand
My compass points the way
North the stranger
And south, my friend

S2 – I am proud of my troupe
But I want to be a child
I want to grow up
Before I die 

C – Why should I walk in the line?
When I could lose these friends of mine?
Why should I risk my dear life?!
Why should I care to clean my hands?
If I’m bound to soak in blood?
Why should we risk our lives?! 

S3- See the poppy hanging there
Its crimson head
It weeps for our dear young lives,
Linked by a thread

S4 - Will one day someone
Pluck it and think of me?
Will one day you and I
Be brothers and be free? 

C – Why should I walk in the line?
When I could lose these friends of mine?
Why should I risk my dear life?!
Why should I care to clean my hands?
If I’m bound to soak in blood?
Why should we risk our lives?!

Let it be peace
by Lena Reerman from Gesamtschule Elsen, Paderborn, Germany

Frieden
by Lucas Wensel from Gesamtschule Elsen, Paderborn,Germany

Frieden,Frieden,auf der Welt,
von Land zu Land,zusammen gesellt,
wo niemand etwas Gutes berbricht,

Liebe,Liebe,auf der Welt,
nicht mehr geht es nur um Geld,
Liebe breitet sich aus,
der Hass ist jetzt endlich raus.

Frieden,Frieden,auf der Welt,
so schön lacht die Welt,wie in einer Träumerwelt;
von Staat, zu Staat,dort endet der Hass,
es vergeht eine große Last.

Diebe,Diebe,auf der Welt,
sind im Knaste zusammen gesellt,
das Böse sieht das Ende,
nun ist es eine Legende.

School Years 10-11  /  Ages 14-16

In these times of peace

With all the triggers calm,
Since the fire has ceased
And the sky’s seen our palms
They speak to us.

In the dead of night
And the hope of day,
Do we hear their plight?
Or ignore what they say?
But still, they speak to us.

We cannot neglect,
And we cannot shy away.
We cannot forget,
Lest we hear the bugles play.
Because still, they speak to us.

There are lessons to learn
On the torture of hate,
There is more love to earn,
And fear to eradicate.
And so, they speak to us.

We can’t stop here,
We can’t give up hope,
We must shape a new world,
One in which we can cope.
This was the beginning
Of a new life for us.

Can you hear them?
Can you hear what they say?
We must pass on their stories,
Let everyone know it,
We must live by their glories,
By the songs of dead poets.

You can hear them. Now,
Heed what they say:
Carpe diem.
Seize the day.

Life in Colour
by Anna Dougan, Bethan Pennie, Leo Shak and Sarah Dyson from Larbert High School, Stirlingshire, United Kingdom

Don’t you Cry / Weine nicht kleines Kind
by Olivia Goede and Samuel Kurth from Cologne, Germany