Thankfully and happily, I was once again able to support my colleagues in Spain this year - this time in Burgos, the capital of Castile and León. Here I worked for the Guardia Civil on the Way of St. James and was available for the pilgrims. Many pilgrims pass through Burgos on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
In the period from July 16 to July 31, 2023, I was on duty in this special area of Spain. It was the first time that a German police officer was able to work there.
I made the journey of around 1,800 km in two stages in my car via Luxembourg and France. Burgos has so much more to offer than I had imagined. Numerous cathedrals and monasteries, old buildings that are in very good condition and a great city with wonderful markets and cozy restaurants.
In the early morning of July 16, 2023, I was picked up from the hotel by my patrol partners Laura and Antonio. They were very friendly and a little nervous as it was their first time working with a police officer from Germany. During the journey, however, we quickly realized that we were on the same wavelength. I was introduced to many colleagues at the main station. Then, finally on patrol along the Way of St. James, we went to a few hostels and restaurants, which experience shows are frequented by pilgrims, and I introduced myself as the German contact person.
On my second day, we went to the local hospital. A German pilgrim had been bitten on the calf by a dog on the Way of St. James and was now visibly relieved to see a German police officer. He didn't speak Spanish, so I was happy to translate for him. The following day, we met the pilgrim again on the Way of St. James; he was already able to continue on his way to Santiago de Compostela.
I was approached by a Spanish colleague at the Guardia Civil cuartel. He asked me if it would be possible for me to look at old notes and perhaps even translate them into Spanish. These were photos of the "Blue Division", an infantry division of the German Wehrmacht, which consisted of Spanish volunteers and fought on the side of the Wehrmacht in the Russian campaign between 1941 and 1943. Translating these short texts was an unusual task, and not just for my colleague.
The following day on duty, we received a call from the local control center. A German pilgrim had a problem and asked for help. When we arrived at his home, we saw that he was carrying two cats on his shoulders. During the conversation, the pilgrim said that he had taken a break yesterday on the Way of St. James (near Burgos) so that his cats could have a drink. Suddenly, a woman walked past him with her dog. The dog snapped at a cat and injured its tail. However, the woman with her dog paid no further attention and continued on her walk. The pilgrim now wanted to see a vet and was surprised that all the stores, surgeries etc. were closed. We were able to explain to him that today is the "St. James holiday" in Galicia. The pilgrim would therefore have to visit the vet the following day.
The next day, my alarm clock rang at 4am. We first drove to León and met a colleague from France. She was also working in the European Commissariats program in Spain. It was the French colleague's second assignment abroad in Spain. Other colleagues from the Guardia Civil and the Policia Nacional were waiting for us in Ponferrada. Various units, such as the helicopter squadron, motorcycle squadron, equestrian squadron and drone pilots were on site. These were a number of services that are deployed on the Camino de Santiago in the province of Castilla y León. A member of the regional government had arranged a press event here to which all of these services had been invited.
On the way back to Burgos, the German pilgrim with the cats called me. I had left him my official availability in case of an emergency. He said that he had met the dog owner by chance this morning. After explaining to her "tooth and nail" what her dog had done to her cat, they went to the vet together and the lady settled the bill with the doctor.
We walked the Way of St. James in our area every day and made small talk with pilgrims. This happened without any particular incidents. When I had already locked my service weapon in the Cuartel after work on July 25, a senior colleague asked me to be available for a moment.
A group of high-ranking Guardia Civil generals then entered the room, in the middle of them a gentleman in a suit and green tie. He approached me and asked me about my time in Spain. We had a very informal chat and I finished by wishing him a good day. Afterwards, my colleague told me that the gentleman was Leonardo Marco González, the Director General of the Guardia Civil, the highest-ranking superior of the Guardia Civil in the whole of Spain. I felt much better that I hadn't known this beforehand.
My conclusion of my first stay in Burgos: I am more than thrilled! Be it the city itself, the Spanish people or my colleagues. Once again, I was able to gain great experience working with the Spanish police - thank you very much!
I would like to thank everyone for placing their trust in me once again and hope to thank Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia and especially the Gelsenkirchen Police Department for this great opportunity!
