The choice of lecture and speaker for the November meeting of The Arts Society Alton was very appropriate.

Angela Findlay’s Anglo-German roots led her to research Germany’s post-Second World War process of remembrance, its 'counter-memorials' and site-specific artworks that emerged to express national shame and apology.

With the current debate on statues and monuments, the way Germany has tried to deal with its dark past is relevant and inspiring.

In the UK, little is known about Germany’s complex post-Second World War process of ‘coming to terms with’ the atrocities of its recent past, and the continuing counter-memorial movement that started in the 1980s.

Germany’s situation rendered traditional concepts of monuments and memorials, the type with which British people are familiar, irrelevant and inappropriate.

Instead of commemorating their losses, German artists created art forms responding to questions of apology and atonement: How does a nation of former persecutors mourn its victims? How does one remember what one would rather forget?

Counter-memorials aim to keep memories and lessons of the past alive in the minds of the people. The results are extraordinary, brave and inspiring.

Angela briefly outlined her decade-long quest to trace the journey of her German grandfather across Russia and Italy during the Second World War.

Karl von Graffen (1893-1964) was a professional soldier and skilled artillery officer who served in the invasion of Russia, enduring and instigating hardship and horror.

Decorated for bravery, he was devoted to his country, and Angela discovered he never joined the Nazi Party, although growing up in Hampshire she had an uneasy feeling about the historical relationships of her family.

Her journey of discovery about him and what he did in the Second World War was published in 2022 as In My Grandfather’s Shadow.

She outlined how Germany commemorates the Second World War through a complex and deeply ingrained ‘culture of remembrance’ - Erinnerungskultur - focusing on acknowledging historical responsibility for Nazi-era crimes.

Angela explained that this approach had evolved significantly over time, moving from early post-war attempts to evade responsibility towards an open public confrontation with the past.

Commemoration involves several different approaches, including solemn national memorial days, vast monuments, preservation of former concentration camps and grassroots projects throughout the country.

She gave examples and explained with images the significance of their form. Many require looking to the ground, in contrast to British memorials which require people to look up.

Particularly striking were a sunken fountain in Kassel (1991), the Platform 17 Memorial at Grunewald station in Berlin (1991) and the Stumbling Stones, which first appeared in Cologne and are now found across Europe.

Others were also explained and the audience were left in no doubt of the artists’ aim to shock and remind the public of the recent past.

One of the quotes cited during the lecture, by Günter Grass in his 2002 novel Crabwalk, began: ”History, or to be more precise, the history we Germans have repeatedly mucked up, is a clogged toilet.”

It ended by suggesting that repeated attempts to flush it away only caused more of the mess to rise to the surface.

The evening was interesting, providing a different viewpoint to members’ existing shared experience, and was thought provoking and relevant - just what is expected from The Arts Society Alton lectures.

Tony Cross

The Centurion Way is a flat path that follows the old dismantled Chichester to Midhurst railway line, which closed in 1991.

For many years the Centurion Way comprised 5.5 miles of path running north from Chichester to West Dean – but in August, following three years of extensive work, a further 1.3 miles was officially opened, extending the route to Cucumber Farm and including Singleton station.

Petersfield Ramblers were keen to explore this new extension, so on a warm day in mid-November 14 ramblers gathered in the Chichester Festival Theatre car park to begin their adventure. It was felt that it was only right to walk the whole trail, heading north to reach their goal after lunch.

They headed west - initially along the city walls - until they reached Bishop Luffa School and the start of the Centurion Way.

To coincide with the new section opening, the original arch marking the beginning of the trail was rescued from storage, refurbished and reinstalled, having been taken down a decade ago.

Original mythical character sculptures, including Roman gods and a dancing deer, have been reinstated within the new archway. This photo opportunity was not to be missed.

Then it was full steam ahead along the delightful path, shrouded by trees on either side, awash with rich autumn colours.

After two miles they emerged into open fields, having cleared Chichester and Summersdale, and stopped for a coffee break on the conveniently placed benches.

Almost as soon as they were off again they paused for another group photo, gathering around a wonderful sculpture of spade-wielding Roman workers - called the Chichester Road Gang - made from gas cylinders.

Another half a mile took them to their fourth brick bridge, decorated with animal cut-outs drawn by children from Lavant Primary School and reproduced in steel sheet by Richard Farrington.

After the bridge stood impressive Lavant station, now converted into stylish homes. Passing through a quiet housing estate, they found themselves back in countryside, greeted by blue skies and sunshine, with views across agricultural fields on either side.

An unusually round tunnel took them under the A286 to their lunch spot; they had completed their walk of the original 5.5 miles of the Centurion Way. It was a pleasure to sit bathed in sun beside newly-planted trees weighed down by crab-apples.

The original trail finished where they sat, because ahead of them steam trains entered the 495 yards long West Dean Tunnel.

Sadly there is no consent to take the trail through the tunnel, so walkers and cyclists are required to drop down to the A286 to by-pass the closed tunnel section of the dismantled railway.

This they duly did, and after a short distance of newly widened pavement they were permitted to take a path through woods owned by the West Dean Estate until a new gate gave them access to the Centurion Way extension.

Looking back through the woods they could just see the heavy metal gates across the tunnel entrance, with a grill to accommodate bat movements.

Continuing north on the trail they passed the ruined water tower covered in ivy.

And a little further along, the trail opened out to reveal restored Singleton station with its four vast platforms, built to handle all the visitors to Goodwood racecourse. Information boards helpfully explained the station’s history. Beyond the station stands a dilapidated but picturesque goods shed - and one of a number of milk halts.

Too soon their way forward was blocked - they had reached the end of the new extension. Turning round, they headed back to Singleton station, dropping down a ramp to the side of the platforms to see the old station building, now a house. In the restored rendering on the top half of the house were more of the exquisite drawings of flowers in vases seen earlier at Lavant station.

It just remained to enjoy coffee and cake in West Dean Gardens’ café.

In the November demonstration at the Assembly Rooms, artist Kim Page gave members a lovely clear demonstration of his dry brush technique in watercolour.

He explained how important it was for an artist to prepare before starting by observing things around them - such as tree shapes and colours, and how light works.

When painting outdoors, he said it was best to choose mornings or evenings when the light was more interesting and shadows were best.

He advised painters to keep their work light and control their use of water, stressing that they should use a limited palette and that speed was of the essence.

Kim started painting the background behind the trees using negative spaces, then painted in the trees and gradually came into the foreground.

He warned them not to lose too much white space until the end, as they could not get it back. He reminded them that shadows receded, and when finishing the snow he used the whitest white gouache, creating a beautiful result.

St Peter’s Church Bell Ringers’ commemoration of the fallen began at the ceremony in The Square, ringing rounds and call changes on the eight half-muffled bells.

Ringer Christine Rushton was among the organisers of a marvellous poppy display in St Peter’s Church.

There was ringing as a prelude to the Sunday evensong service, and the Monday practice was dedicated to those who had not rung already in remembrance of those who died and served in both World Wars and subsequent conflicts.

Members of the Petersfield band ensured outlying towers such as East Meon and Rogate had enough ringers to ring the bells in commemoration.

On Sunday evening a poppy wreath was placed on the War Memorial in Petersfield by Caroline M Welsh from St Peter’s Church Bell Ringers.