Fifty-five years after A-bombing, 13 former Second Middle School first-year students gather at memorial service for deceased classmates, renew vow to pass on and preserve tragedy
Aug. 7, 2000
Thirteen surviving former classmates attended a memorial service for 321 students at Hiroshima Prefectural Second Middle School (present-day Kanon High School) who had died in the atomic bombing while carrying out building-demolition work. Having carried with them the guilt of avoiding death at that time, the former classmates participated in the memorial service for the first time this year after making contact with each other. At the monument dedicated to their deceased friends, the former classmates vowed to “convey the agony of our former classmates to others,” remaining conscious of the sight of aging bereaved family members.
Around 350 people attended the memorial service, which was held on the left bank of Honkawa River inside Peace Memorial Park. The former classmates looked on as the bereaved family members offered flowers from their places surrounding the memorial monument. When students at Kanon High School sang the Hiroshima Second Middle School song, the former classmates closed their eyes and joined in.
Slightly more than 20 former classmates at the school have been confirmed to still be alive. In April, a Hiroshima Second Middle School survivors’ association was established, led by Atsushi Tokiyasu, 67, a company employee who lives in Asahi 1-chome, Minami Ward, Hiroshima City. After tracking the whereabouts of the former students, Mr. Tokiyasu requested their participation in the memorial service. One of the former classmates in attendance said, “On August 6 each year, I have offered my prayers to the monument at 10 p.m. I still cannot erase my sense of guilt for being alive.” The former classmates waited until the bereaved families finished offering flowers and burning incense, after which they moved to the monument and bowed their heads.
In April, the memorial monument was refurbished to add the engraved names of two former students who were later found to have died in the atomic bombing.
(Originally published on August 7, 2000)
Around 350 people attended the memorial service, which was held on the left bank of Honkawa River inside Peace Memorial Park. The former classmates looked on as the bereaved family members offered flowers from their places surrounding the memorial monument. When students at Kanon High School sang the Hiroshima Second Middle School song, the former classmates closed their eyes and joined in.
Slightly more than 20 former classmates at the school have been confirmed to still be alive. In April, a Hiroshima Second Middle School survivors’ association was established, led by Atsushi Tokiyasu, 67, a company employee who lives in Asahi 1-chome, Minami Ward, Hiroshima City. After tracking the whereabouts of the former students, Mr. Tokiyasu requested their participation in the memorial service. One of the former classmates in attendance said, “On August 6 each year, I have offered my prayers to the monument at 10 p.m. I still cannot erase my sense of guilt for being alive.” The former classmates waited until the bereaved families finished offering flowers and burning incense, after which they moved to the monument and bowed their heads.
In April, the memorial monument was refurbished to add the engraved names of two former students who were later found to have died in the atomic bombing.
(Originally published on August 7, 2000)
