History

Of course, in yesterday's enchantment, I forgot the not-so-peaceful background of the lake. When my parents moved here - about 25 years ago - there was no lake yet, but a valley, the river Wupper, two villages, forests and a railway track. When it is dry for a long time, as it is now, one can see the old railway tracks come out of the lake and up the hill; it is said that one summer was so dry that one could see the spire of one of the churches rise above the surface of the water like Mount Meneltarma. But I think that's only a legend, I don't think the water ever fell so low at any time. Not here.
Anyway, when my parents had lived here for a while, it was decided that this valley should be made a reservoir so the region always had a sufficient supply of drinking water (since it usually is raining a lot here, I can't really imagine why they thought they needed yet another reservoir, but oh well). The people living in those two villages didn't want to leave and protested against that decision. The dam was built anyway, of course, and when it was finished and the water began to rise and the people still didn't leave, the houses were burned so the inhabitants wouldn't stay and drown out of protest ("that'll show them!"). Some people still died, and there are a few nice ghost stories around the reservoir. But today you wouldn't think of it, seeing the lake and the islands that used to be hills and the ducks and the fishermen. In the summer - or in spring, if it's as warm as this year's - people swim there and party. It is a wonderful place really. But it does have a dark secret underneath its beauty.
*sigh*

Maybe I shouldn't think so much about backgrounds. Maybe I should just be happy with the beautiful lake and forget about the burned-down houses at its bottom. I could yesterday, I can't today. I think I think too much.

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( Deutsche Fassung )

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