A peace campaigner whose grandfathers were killed while serving on different sides of the Second World War has revealed he was banned from laying a ‘peace’ wreath during last month’s Remembrance Service ceremony.
Marc Scheimann’s English grandfather, Arthur Green, was working with the Home Guard when he was blown up in a bomb blast, while the German navy vessel on which Erich Scheimann served never returned from its mission in the Baltic Sea.
Marc Scheimann, of Stockwood Crescent, Luton, had wanted to place a white wreath, calling for peaceful resolutions for conflict, on behalf of Luton for Peace at the war memorial outside the Town Hall as part of the civic party at the November 14 service.
But following complaints, Luton Borough Council decided this was not ‘appropriate’, so Mr Scheimann agreed to do so after the ceremony instead.
Mr Scheimann told Luton on Sunday: “This fills me with sadness because it’s ‘little minds’.
“I’ve been robbed of my grand - fathers on both sides. It’s a loss.
It affects your perspective on life.
“This is my grieving, my opportunity to say ‘Why?’ But, because it’s a loss on both sides, I’m always questioning ‘Why?’ “If we don’t look for that answer, we’ll just keep fighting wars, losing generations and people in the future will feel that loss. It’s a void in my life.
“We’re not doing this to disrupt the event. We’re not dishonour - ing, we just want there to be no more. This is an opportunity for me to pay my respects.” Mr Scheimann’s mother, Kathleen Green, met his father, Eckhard Scheimann, in Jersey in 1956. The island had been occupied by the Germans during the Second World War.
A council spokeswoman said: “The Remembrance Sunday service is organised by the council on behalf of and in consultation with the Royal British Legion.
“Although Luton for Peace is not officially invited to participate in the service, we have in the past attempted to accommodate their wishes by allowing them to form part of the civic party.
“However, in light of increasing number of complaints from members of the public and at the request of the Royal British Legion, also having regard to the sensitivities of those who wish to honour and remember those who have fallen in wars and conflicts in the traditional way, we asked Luton for Peace to delay laying their wreath until after the formal ceremony representing the armed services.
“This was in line with previous years’ practice and was agreed with Marc Scheimann.
