- Title: 'The country was good to me' German woman refuses to leave war-torn Syria
- Date: 21st November 2021
- Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (NOVEMBER 17, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GERMAN WOMAN LIVING IN DAMASCUS, HEIKE WEBER, TAKING CARE OF HER PLANTS WEBER PASSING BY SEEN THROUGH WINDOW VARIOUS OF WEBER WATERING PLANTS IN THE COURTYARD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GERMAN WOMAN LIVING IN DAMASCUS, HEIKE WEBER, SAYING: "I understand that it is difficult for young people to build their future here and during the war. But I'm old and have lived almost all my life here so I did not feel that I should leave the country because the country was good to me. People were good to me and I love the country. Why would I leave the country in this difficult situation? So I stayed here and now I feel that I still have a duty towards the country." DAMASCUS, SYRIA (NOVEMBER 18, 2021) (REUTERS) WALKING SHOT IN ALLEY WHERE WEBER LIVES IN OLD DAMASCUS DAMASCUS, SYRIA (NOVEMBER 17, 2021) (REUTERS) WEBER WALKING UPSTAIRS AT HOME WEBER POINTING AT A BULLET HOLE IN HER WINDOW GLASS VARIOUS OF WEBER AT HOME TRACES OF BULLETS IN WALL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GERMAN WOMAN LIVING IN DAMASCUS, HEIKE WEBER, SAYING: "Once mortars were being shot and I went outside. I was in the alley here. While I was walking, a mortar hit the place less than ten metres away from me and hit the neighbours' house and there was dust everywhere. I stayed alive and nothing happened to me so I went to the neighbours, to see what happened to their home and if they needed any help." DAMASCUS, SYRIA (NOVEMBER 18, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WEBER WITH HER STUDENTS TEACHING THEM TRADITIONAL STITCHING METHODS SYRIAN WOMAN STITCHING VARIOUS OF WEBER TALKING AND GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO WOMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GERMAN WOMAN LIVING IN DAMASCUS, HEIKE WEBER, SAYING: "Where I want to be buried? I always used to say to my girls in the atelier, I used to say: 'when I die, burn me and throw my ashes over Damascus from Qassyoun mountain', isn't it a nice idea? This is what I think of." DAMASCUS, SYRIA (NOVEMBER 17, 2021) (REUTERS) WEBER WALKING INTO ATELIER VARIOUS OF WEBER STITCHING FABRIC VARIOUS OF HAND-KNIT DRESS HEIKE WEBER BOOK'S COVER READING (English): "ANAT AND HER HERO BAAL - THE EMBROIDERY LANGUAGE OF THE LEVANT" VARIOUS OF WEBER TALKING ABOUT BOOK
- Embargoed: 5th December 2021 11:56
- Keywords: Syria life war woman
- Location: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- City: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001F4JJBKL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: When Heike Weber arrived in Syria in 1982, seeking refuge from the Lebanese civil war, she fell in love with the country's capital Damascus.
During the years of war, she braved the mortars and shelling that left their marks on the walls of her home located in a narrow alleyway in the heart of Damascus old city.
Now 70, the German woman vowed to not leave the country and she said she feels a sense of duty to the country she has called home for decades.
Married to a Palestinian, Weber started her life in the Yarmouk camp, near Damascus, where she followed her passion for embroidery. She started to learn about diverse Syrian designs and teach women in the camp.
In 2003, Weber moved with her family to a house in the old city where she opened her atelier.
Two of Weber's children left before the war and the third left after a mortar hit the house.
Weber now lives on her own, spending most of her time with her embroidery students, and sells her hand-knitted embroidered designs to tourists.
She wrote a book documenting the history of embroidery in the region titled "Anat and her hero Baal - The embroidery language of The Levant".
(Production: Firas Makdesi, Kinda Makieh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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