Peace Walk

On June 28, 1914 a single shot from a young student named Garvilo Princip started an event, which shaped the world to what it is today. The two shots gave Austria an excuse that led to the event, which was called "the war to end all wars" (or the First World War) but its result was contrary. Instead of ending all wars, it laid the foundation for the Second World War, the Soviet Union, the Middle East wars, the Israel-Palestine conflict. Although the reasons of why the war had started are still often debatable and the two bullets that killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, his wife Sophie and their unborn child, could be seen as the trigger with a too obvious outcome. However, the most important event since the Napoleon (or maybe even since Constantine the Great who may be seen as the biggest influence for the spread of Christianity) and the industrial revolution is now being out-shadowed by the Second World War. There were many fronts of the First World War: Galipoli, Africa, ...

It's about ten hours to the flight to Frankfurt. All things are packed and "It's a long way to Tipperary" is constantly sounding in my head. However, on the contrary to the men that went to the front in 1914, I feel no glory in it, no greatness. I can hear the shells exploding, the bodies drowning, the lone tree still standing. Body parts scattered around. Pieces of clothes. Dogs and horses drowned in the mud. Dead from shrapnel wounds. Once green fields filled with dark brown and red. I can hear women crying for their husbands, sons, brothers. I can see their red tears streaming from white eyes. I can see lead penetrating the Earth deeper and deeper. I can see it spreading across the area through the ground water... But maybe only because of them I know that the only thing war brings is Death. Maybe the souls of those solders, still lying in those fields and trying to catch their names flowing in the air of "the ones who haven't been found", will me...

Backpack: Lowalpine TFX Tundra 65 + 15 Trekking poles: Fizan tierra antishok Hoddy (warm): 1 Rain wear: trousers and jacket (PVC) Foot wear: Kayland Vertigo GTX + Lituanica 2907 Socks: 5 no-name cotton + 1 Throlos Ultra light hiking T-shirts: 5 (cotton) Shorts: 1 black Dressmann Trousers: 1 jeans + 1 cotton/jeans black work pants Sleeping bag: no-name with down insulation + Lifeventure Cotton travel sleeper Sleeping mat: Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite Sol 1 rectangular outdoor candle Tent (no name) Poncho : 1 Spare underwear: 5 Several meters of jute string (have no idea how much - just wrapped it around the tent pegs) GPS: Magellan Triton 1500 Batteries: 18 AA + 6 AAA Camera: Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Water tanks: Stainless steel bottle (Primus 1L) Water filter: none for now (hand-made on the spot) Pills of activated carbon: 160 Elastic bandages: 2 Strapping: 1 Lighter: 1 Flash light: no-name 1 Toilet paper: 1 roll Trash bags: 2 Food: 4 cans ...

The First World War had more "firsts" then only being the first world war... The first time a chemical weapon was used on a massive scale (by Germany at the Second Battle of Ypres on 22 April 1915 chlorine gas was used) As a result of gas attacks, gas masks were used for the first time The first time tanks were built and used in a battle (by British at the Battle of Somme on 15 September 1916) The first battle in air (planes were used mostly for reconnaissance but latter developed into full air battles with strikers) The first time photography was used (mostly for air crafts. But it's also the first war of which video material are made. Some photographs, however, were staged) The first battle were steel helmets of the similar form were used (at the beginning of war, soldiers had soft hats and were issued steel helmets only later) The first large scale extensive use of machine guns (by all parties) The first (and probably the only) time a dog reached sergea...