RUNNING GERMANY: BERLIN runners honour the victims of the bombings at the Boston Marathon with a solidarity run on Saturday through the Tiergarten Park at the Siegessäule (Victory Column). By Horst Milde

On the initiative of John Kunkeler, Berlin’s most prominent marathon runner and organiser, the Berlin runners were called to participate in a solidarity run to honour the victims of the horrific bomb attack at the Boston Marathon.

Together with Franz Feddema and Horst-Dieter Bellack, they made short-term arrangements and announced the meeting point at the popular course through Tiergarten Park – with the start at the Siegessäule (Victory Column) – to the Berlin running community.

Runners were asked to come wearing a black armband to honour the victims, and those who had participated in the Boston Marathon were asked to bring along their memorabilia, a Boston t-shirt, jacket, or hat.

The Berlin Sports Museum provided the official banner from the Boston Marathon from their collection to adorn the start.

At 10 am on Saturday morning, a large number of runners gathered together at the meeting point across from the Siegessäule. Two television stations and reporters were on hand to interview the participants.

Peter Hanisch, Berlin’s former LSB (state sports association) president, held a brief speech after a few words of welcome from John Kunkeler, wearing his 100-year-anniversary medal from the Boston Marathon: “The runners shall not be intimidated by terrorists. We are a free society – and we stand as one in support of the organisers and runners from the Boston Marathon and our thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the many volunteers!”

US Ambassador Philip D. Murphy, who comes from Boston and is a marathon runner himself, was not able to come. He expressed his appreciation to the organisers for the display of understanding, grief, and solidarity with the running community and with the American people!

Then the crowd ran the 5 km loop through Tiergarten Park together – even with mothers pushing strollers – to demonstrate their solidarity with the international running community.

Horst Milde

 

Berlin runners grieve with Boston – "Boston stands as one" – Saturday at 10 am at the Siegessäule (Victory Column) – Wear a black armband.

 

BOSTON MARATHON – The Explosions in Boston – By Ambassador Philip D. Murphy

 

Statement of German Road Races (GRR) e.V. regarding bomb attacks at the Boston Marathon

 

 

Memory of september 2001:

 

Bewags huge banner of the BERLIN-MARATHON "starts" in New York – "United We Run in New York" – By Horst Milde

 

Giant banner at the start of the BERLIN-MARATHON – The BERLIN-MARATHON is going to respond in a distinctive way to the present political situation at the start of the event, at Charlottenburger Tor in Strasse des 17. Juni

 

BERLIN PLEDGE TO NEW YORK FIREFIGHTERS – Close links between a New York fireman and the upcoming real,- BERLIN MARATHON have resulted in a race fund being organised in the German capital for the families of those firefighters and police lost in the World Trade Center disaster last Tuesday.

 

The real,- BERLIN-MARATHON is appealing to all marathon participants for donations to the collection for the bereaved families of the New York Fire Department and Police. Comment on the curel attacks in the USA.