"Und Zuckererbsen nicht minder"

Es wächst hienieden Brot genug

Für alle Menschenkinder,

Auch Rosen und Myrten, Schönheit und Lust,

Und Zuckererbsen nicht minder.

Ja, Zuckererbsen für jedermann,

Sobald die Schoten platzen!

Den Himmel überlassen wir
Den Engeln und den Spatzen.

Und wachsen uns Flügel nach dem Tod,
So wollen wir euch besuchen
Dort oben, und wir, wir essen mit euch
Die seligsten Torten und Kuchen.

Ein neues Lied, ein besseres Lied!
Es klingt wie Flöten und Geigen!
Das Miserere ist vorbei,
Die Sterbeglocken schweigen.

Heinrich Heine: Deutschland ein Wintermärchen. Caput I a.k.a. 'Lied des Harfenmädchens'

In reaction to the death of one more 'Schubhäftling' in an Austrian prison, Mr. K. (see below), an almost violent discussion broke loose in the forum to the respective article at derStandard.

Many posters voiced an opinion that to go on a hunger strike was just a 'simple' means to blackmail the state into releasing a person that is staying in Austria illegaly. Among those many seemed to confuse the reasons for imprisonment: whoever is taken into 'Schubhaft' was not convicted of a crime, he did a simple regulatory offence that never justifies a criminal trial or even ensuing imprisonment. So 'Schubhaft' is just a means to put a hold to people that the state would prefer to get rid of until the legal procedure is completed.

Some posters voiced sadness about the death of the young man from India, and one put a few stanzas from Heinrich Heines "Wintermärchen" into one of his posts.

Voiced in the first half of the 19th century Heines credo remains a utopistic belief, even though we KNOW there is enough bread or rice or roses or sugar peas for all God's children on the earth.