I first met him at a magazine called Maxim, which, unfortunately, no longer exists. “Tölke,” as he was affectionately called by all his colleagues (including me), was an author there, occupying desks for days on end and producing stories for the editorial team. Then our paths diverged: I pursued a new professional direction and moved to Berlin – Tölke was already there.
Some time later, he reappeared, in an entirely different world. Just around the corner from me, he had initiated a restaurant called Kreuzberger Himmel, where people with refugee backgrounds were trained for jobs in the German gastronomy sector. I visited the restaurant a few times – I can only recommend it!
Then the horrific, widespread Russian invasion of Ukraine began, and suddenly, Tölke was on the front lines. I followed his activities on Facebook and occasionally managed to exchange messages with him via WhatsApp. I was deeply moved by his selflessness – traveling to a foreign country to save lives, putting his own life at risk without hesitation.
Tölke is a recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit, and on April 30th this year, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Arden University for his exceptional contributions to humanity.
To this day, nearly three years after the beginning of this devastating war, Tölke spends 80% of his time in Ukraine – and truly in the most dangerous places. His organization, Be an Angel, has so far evacuated 24,000 people and delivered over 5,000 tons of aid to those in urgent need.
What he does is a matter close to my heart. That’s why I am making this appeal: The holiday season for giving is upon us. Please donate to Be an Angel – minimal administrative costs, minimal overhead, and your donation will go exactly where it is needed most: in the heart of the war zone.
To the donation page of Be an Angel
Yours Christiane Gehrke
Chairwoman of Gaming Aid e.V.
Recent Comments