“I like being here because the roots, which are still alive, mean a lot to me,” says Maffay. He accompanies the Federal President on his trip to Romania.
The singer and composer Peter Maffay, who emigrated from Romania with his parents in 1963 at the age of 14, is still connected to his old homeland. “If it weren’t for me, I wouldn’t be here now,” said the 73-year-old in Sibiu, Romania, where he accompanied Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his state visit.
“There is a – I want to say – nostalgic component. I like being here because the roots, which are still alive, mean a lot to me.”
He also believes that with the work of his foundation he can contribute, at least to a small extent, to improving the situation of children in Romania. In 2009, Maffay’s foundation acquired a former vicarage in Radeln, Romania, where traumatized children can now take a break from their difficult everyday lives.
The Romanian branch of his foundation has been around for twelve years, said Maffay. “I hope there are 12 more. It’s fun. We’re getting over the agony a bit.” However, her work is just a drop in the ocean. “The need to help children grows with every conflict.”
According to Maffay, this can also be seen in the Ukraine war: 14 days after the war began in February last year, the foundation took in more than 50 children and mothers from Ukraine in its house in Upper Bavaria, who have lived there to this day. “Well, a small Ukrainian enclave has emerged in Dietlhofen in Bavaria. The mothers and children have the opportunity there to gain a foothold and find their bearings. That’s actually our focus at the moment.”
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
