Shihab

Llandaff cathedral II, Cardiff, UK | 2022 | pen drawing on paper | 15 x 15 cm

Llandaff Cathedral (1120 AD)

Llandaff Cathedral is a famous medieval-Gothic church in Cardiff, built in 1120 AD. During my time living in Germany between 1998 and 2012, I had the opportunity to interact with several people who had participated in World War II. An adventurous experience shared with me by a former pilot I met in Heidelberg might be connected to this cathedral.

In 1941, during World War II, when he was just 19 years old, he flew a bomber aircraft from Frankfurt toward Britain and dropped bombs there. However, the sight that awaited him when he returned home after the mission was devastating; the American army had completely bombed and destroyed his village. He later told me that he had gained absolutely nothing from the war.

The cathedral suffered severe damage from bombings during World War II. A large crater caused by a fallen bomb back then can still be seen on the grounds outside the cathedral today. Even there, they haven’t explicitly mentioned ‘Germany’; instead, they have only written ‘our enemies.’ This stands as a symbol of respect and humanity shown toward the German people. I spent a few minutes in silence, praying for both the German and Welsh people who lost their lives during the war.

The cathedral was later restored, and it still stands today as a proud symbol of the culture and grandeur of Wales.