My “first half of life” project: RESURGAM Standing on the Ground of Remembrance.
How Do You “Remember Them”?
I saw two words scrawled on a white envelope standing by panel 47E at the moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I was certain it was the name of a soldier etched on the wall, but I was wrong. I read “Alpha Company” and heard the whisper, “Remember Them.” I wondered, “How do you remember unknown soldiers?”
Read: My Introduction to Them
I set out to find the unknown soldiers. My clues were Alpha Company and “47E.” There wasn’t any comprehensive Internet linkage when I began this search in my late twenties, so synchronicity and unexpected connections led me to the veteran who placed the envelope by 47E. The search didn’t end there. I promised Phil Woodall that I would write Alpha Company’s story. Back then, I thought words would keep me safe while writing about war. I was naive. There was a lot to learn before I could write their story, which also became my story. As I prepared and paid attention, the story spiraled back in time to World War II and World War I.
From the book’s back cover:
“Remember them” echoes through every generation and against the standing stones of history. Two words transform into a presence that enters Sophy’s awareness, directs her attention to the darkness, and whispers, “Go there.”
Their existence glimmers in the dark realm of the unknown. It pulses with life and rests with death. The light of their story is a mystery, which leads to the ground of remembrance. The power of remembrance illuminates their truth. They lived. They loved. They have a story to tell.
Resurgam – (Latin) I shall rise again
I thought the story was complete (and I was done writing about war) when I self-published “RESURGAM Standing on the Ground of Remembrance” at the end of 2008. However, completing the book was only the first part of the story. The continuing story has challenged me and proved there is much more to learn. I had to fulfill my commitment to completing the book to gain access to new ground. This is the core of the creative meander: exploring new ground.
Chapter excerpts | RESURGAM Standing on the Ground of Remembrance by Jean Niedert
1. Paris – the City of Light
2. Ten Years Ago
3. Waiting for Letters
4. May Day
5. Pushing Up Daisies
6. November 11
7. War
8. 47E – March 29
9. Facing the Enemy
10. The Doubtful Scrawl
11. Arriving in Nancy
12. Navigating By Stars (an excerpt in the post: The Bond of Brotherhood)
13. The Way to Verdun
14. Circult Champs de Batille Rive Droite (Circuit Tour of the Right Bank)
15. No Man’s Land
16. Pigeon Rings
17. Fort Douaumont
18. An Act of Remembrance
19. Pont du Hoc
20. Illumination
20. House of Bones
21. Trench of Bayonets
22. Unfinished Business
23. Back at the Wood Line
24. Graves Registration
25. Home
26. Circuit Champs de Bataille Rive Gauche (Circuit Tour of the Left Bank)
27. Crossing the River
28. Entering the Cote 304
29. Opening Doors
30. Locked Doors
31. The Visit
32. The Return to Paris
33. Sacre Coeur
34. Under the Arc de Trimophe
35. In the Garden
36. History Lesson
37. Trapped in Fort Douaumont
38. The Passing of the Light
Epilogue
(c) 2019-present Jean Niedert
RESURGAM Standing on the Ground of Remembrance
LaStella Group was co-created by Jean Niedert.
creative meander 
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