Patrice Roy offered us, as part of his “Interviews” series on Radio-Canada, a moment of grace when he received Alain Stanké1a man appreciated by all who made us happy to choose, in 1951, Quebec as a land of welcome.
Posted yesterday at 10:00 a.m.
This man experienced the worst horrors of war, he who has dedicated his life for decades to paying this commendable and different tribute to our veterans. These men, these women who devoted the best years of their lives to defending our country and who tirelessly watched over our freedom, braving the freezing cold and the suffocating heat, the muddy trenches, the fear of never coming back… for peace and democracy.
Patrice Roy received Alain Stanké live after the broadcast of his interview: it was overwhelming to hear him admit to us that this war in Ukraine is causing him nightmares, bringing to the surface moments he did not think he would relive.
Alain Stanké carried heavy, overwhelming and disturbing memories of war all his life, a source of strong emotion. When asked by Patrice Roy about forgiveness, he admits that it was the meeting with Stanislas Déry that enabled him to reconcile with the Germans, thanks to his gesture of generosity and compassion. Stanislas Déry, my father, saved 54 German submariners from certain death after the sinking of a U-877 in December 1944 in the Atlantic. And the submarine’s lieutenant commander, Peter Heisig, has become his best friend…
I share here a moment of grace experienced with Alain Stanké on a certain Sunday afternoon… During the preparation of his documentary Do not pull, telling this unlikely story of friendship between two enemies who became friends for life, a fortuitous event occurred. I accompanied Alain, who was meeting Peter Heisig for the first time, to his home in a suburb of Munich, to interview him. When Alain came out of the living room as he was finishing this interview, he was literally overwhelmed… I remember the expression on his face in tears. I then wondered if they were tears of sadness, of joy, or something else… I then asked him: “How are you, Alain? »
And at that precise moment, he asked me to hug him to give him comfort, a beneficent presence, a soothing contact, and he confessed to me candidly: “Gaston, I never thought I could forgive, I have just exorcise 60 years of my life. Thank you for introducing me to your father’s friend, Peter…”
And I understood from that moment that those tears expressed freedom from an evil that had haunted him for all these years. This moment lived with Alain was for me a privilege, a gift of life, that of living forgiveness.
From the height of his 87 years, Alain has retained his child’s heart which still marvels and which illustrates that human kindness must go beyond hatred, because for Alain, acceptance is human, but forgiveness is divine. A great life lesson.