A journey to reclaim scattered memories

The committee interviewed Wolf-Dietrich Karl-Rückert, a descendant of the German poet Friedrich Rückert, who first translated the Classic of Poetry into German in 1833. The family's cultural links with China thus span nearly two centuries. In the interview, Karl-Rückert recalled his early years working and living in China, as well as his meetings with Chinese leaders.

Max Josef Strauss, son of Franz Josef Strauss, then chairman of the Christian Social Union, also shared his recollections. In 1975, the elder Strauss became the first senior West German politician to be received by Mao Zedong, a meeting that helped paved the way for exchanges between China and Bavaria. Fifty years later, his son's memories carry that history of friendship into another generation.

The posters, short films and documentaries struck a chord with visitors. In Munich, members of the local Chinese community said the stories had deepened their understanding of home and rekindled their nostalgia, despite years spent away from China. In Landshut, German visitors said their previous trips to China had introduced them to famous landmarks and monuments, while these people-to-people programs offered a different window into the lives of ordinary people in the country.