80 years later, the German Government paid tribute to the resistance against the Nazi regime on the anniversary of the attack on Adolf Hitler. “The men and women who helped Wehrmacht Stauffenberg’s officer risked their lives to topple Hitler’s regime,” said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “Their sacrifice always forces us to defend democracy.” “The assassination attempt failed, but it has great moral value in itself,” added Defense Minister Lambrecht. “Consciousness must have priority over obedience,” he concluded.

In some countries they remember their fellow countrymen killed in the armed resistance against Franco or the Nazis, the volunteers who joined the fight and died in the International Brigades or those who entered the Gernika Battalion in Paris, those who engaged in espionage, etc. More than the day they died, they remember why, motivation, who they were, their dreams.

There are many open wounds, lack of recognition, revictimization, impunity for police forces. Perhaps a change of perspective would be desirable around the memory of all those killed by the armed conflict, more linked to life than to death. It is recalled that the victim, the deceased, had been a living person on the date of his or her birth or on another significant date.

We know when they were killed, but do we know who they were and what their contributions to society were? Remembering the day of your birth can be more positive to keep everyone’s memory. Celebrating your life, rather than focusing only on the time of death, can provide a constructive vision, highlighting the value of your existence and what you gave in life.

For families, remembering the deceased's birthday can be a smoother way to process pain. It can give them the opportunity to talk about positive moments, focusing on the memory of the benefits of each person.