(Minghui.org) Practitioners from Bavaria hosted activities in historic and scenic Füssen, a town located near Neuschwanstein Castle, on August 17, 2024. They told people about Falun Dafa and exposed the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 25-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa and the crime of forced organ harvesting. The activities drew the attention of local residents and tourists. 

Falun Dafa practitioners hosted activities in the scenic town of Füssen on August 17.

Located on the edge of the Alps, Füssen is one of Germany’s southernmost towns as well as the closest town to Neuschwanstein Castle. Füssen’s history can be traced back to Roman times. It was an important location on the Via Claudia Augusta, an ancient Roman road that leads to Augsburg. Germany’s Romantic Road begins at Neuschwanstein Castle, passes through Füssen, and leads to south-central Germany. Füssen was left nearly untouched by World War II. The town has now become a tourist attraction due to its close proximity to the castle.

The foothills near Neuschwanstein Castle. Füssen is in the upper right corner. 

Practitioners set up an information booth in front of the travel center, and many residents and tourists stopped and talked with them. Some people stopped to watch as they demonstrated the exercises and spoke with practitioners. When they learned that Falun Dafa practitioners are persecuted by the CCP for following the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, they said it was unbelievable. They said it was even more shocking that the CCP is forcibly harvesting practitioners’ organs. A number of people signed the petition to support practitioners’ efforts to call for the persecution to end. Some wished practitioners success and wished them well. 

Practitioners demonstrate the exercises.

Residents sign the petition calling for an end to the persecution.

Passersby speak with practitioners.

Persecution Will Stop if it’s Widely Known

Local resident Hans Hinterbrand signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. He said that he just wanted to support the Chinese people to oppose the persecution. He thought the practitioners’ booth was “beautiful, calm, and emanated a peaceful atmosphere.” 

Speaking of the CCP’s forbidding people from practicing Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners for 25 years, Mr. Hinterbrand said, “This is so horrible. These beautiful things [principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance] might be seen as a threat [by the CCP].”

He also said that regarding forced organ harvesting, the CCP is not the only one that is guilty: “All the people that purchase these organs, including Western people and countries, are they not guilty? They’re also guilty.” He said these matters should be widely known in order for these crimes to be stopped. When he left, he wished the practitioners success.

Family Glad to Meet Practitioners in Füssen

A German family talked with practitioners.

A couple and their daughter were from Stuttgart and came to Füssen as tourists. They were very happy to see the practitioners’ booth and talked with a practitioner for a long time. The husband said he heard about Falun Dafa four years ago and listened to the audio of the founder Mr. Li Hongzhi’s nine-day lectures. He then began to learn the practice. 

In the past, he only had 30% vision. Not long after he began practicing the exercises, his vision reached 70%. His doctors were surprised and said it was a miracle. He continued practicing the exercises. However, he has not read Falun Dafa’s main text Zhuan Falun. He also was not aware that besides the exercises, he should also study the Fa so he could understand how to cultivate based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. After hearing a practitioner’s explanation, he understood the importance of reading the book and said that he would immediately order a copy of Zhuan Falun from the bookstore. 

Their daughter was also very interested in Falun Dafa and talked with practitioners. The wife is a Christian and said she understood why her husband wished to practice Falun Dafa.

At the end, the husband said they were very happy they met practitioners and had such an in-depth conversation. He also thought that the practitioners’ method of hosting an information day is very good, as it both introduced Falun Dafa and exposed the CCP’s persecution.