When the Germans Stopped Hailing Hitler

When we speak of Germans, it is always related to Hitler. For me, he  was the worst person ever lived on earth. What if he took the TAT or theThematic Apperception Test (a projective psychological test), evaluation might show that he has superiority complex (an exaggerated  feeling of being superior to others) and grandiose delusions (a fantastical belief that he is famous, omnipotent and very powerful) because he thinks that his race is perfect much to his dream to rule the world.

My Aunt Cleo married a German.  She moved to Germany  twenty years ago and visits Philippines almost yearly. On her appointment to her German doctor in a clinic at Freiburg University Hospital, she was accompanied by my Aunt Sylvia who does not speak German. In the consultation room, in no request,  the doctor spoke and explained in English. Start of my admiration, was is not a gesture of disrespect to a person who does not speak their language?   I take my hats off to the doctor. 

My pretty Aunt Cleo:)

During the Blessed John Paul II's (then Pope) funeral, dignitaries from around the world were seated alphabetically according to the French spelling of their country's name and arranged according to diplomatic protocol. French is the official language of diplomacy. These are the most powerful people in the world and in my opinion, it was the absolute expression of language courtesy (much to the courtesy to the beloved Pope).

There are about 10 major languages in the world and English is the international language of communication. Gone are the days when people speak like Babylon.  In our present time, it is now a question of etiquette and manners  even we are in small talks. What if we are in a conference and after a couple of minutes you realized you are already  listening to a conversation you do not understand and then they have their own world--no explanations, no translations.  We might just think they are talking nonsense or we just crunch our foreheads. For me, the doctor was undiscriminatory and the little act of respect to language barrier deserves a big salute. Sometimes small things matter big.