Diary entry, June 16, midnight: I first learn that Liu Xiaobo’s life is in danger. （中文在後）
The G-20 summit in Hamburg is coming to an end. Xiaobo is dangerously ill but Xi Jinping isn’t backing down. I find myself compelled to publish the following diary entry, dated midnight on June 16.
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While I was still at the Brighton Poetry Festival a few days ago, [Liu Xia’s close friend] Zhong sent us a message asking for our home phone number. He said someone from the Liu family wanted to get in touch with me. My wife gave it to him. Two days later, when I returned to Berlin, she told me Zhong had been in touch .
That seemed odd to me. For more than three years, it had always been I who would call Liu Xia or Zhong to see how the Lius were doing. Yesterday I called the Liu household several times but no one answered. So I called Zhong to ask where Liu Xia was. Zhong said she was with her brother Liu Hui. I asked how she was doing and he said he didn’t have any news, except that she hadn’t been able to get permission to travel.
This afternoon, I called the Lius again and no one answered. Peter Sillem, the Fischer editor, and the author Herta Müller, both called asking for news. I just sat there. Finally, at half past four, I got a call from someone in the Liu family.
————————–
You’re Liu?
Yes.
Is something wrong?
It’s my uncle. He has end-stage liver cancer.
I couldn’t hear his words clearly, but I was shocked by what I thought I heard: Liu Xia has liver cancer?
No no, it’s my uncle. It’s end-stage.
I was quiet for a moment. “Wait, you mean Xiaobo?”
Yes. My aunt and father wanted me to tell you right away, but you can’t tell anyone else, especially not the press.
I won’t. Can I attempt to get in touch with German government leaders through special channels — Angela Merkel, for instance?
Yes, that’s exactly what they’d like for you to do.
That’s what Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia want?
Yes.
I’ll need a little more information. Where is Xiaobo now? Is he in the prison hospital? That’s where they’d normally put someone who’s very ill. Or have they secretly sent him back to Beijing?
He’s still stuck in the hospital in Shenyang, there’s nothing we can do about it.
My father had cancer. I know liver cancer is one of the worst and most painful kinds.
That’s why my uncle and aunt want to go to Germany! As soon as possible! My uncle said, even if he’s going to die, he’d rather die in Germany.
My eyes filled with tears.
My aunt said Xi Jinping is visiting Germany next month. She wants you to get in touch with Angela Merkel on their behalf and urgently seek her help. Ask her to mention this in her meeting with Xi Jinping, get his permission for Liu Xiaobo to leave the country for emergency medical treatment. You once told my aunt that Merkel is the most sympathetic and human of today’s politicians, that she helped you and many other refugees at great cost.
Can I tell her where this news comes from?
Sure. For the past two months, as a result of my aunt’s work to get permission [to communicate more with Liu Xiaobo], my uncle has finally gotten up to speed with what’s happening with our family, but now he himself is ill.
Got it. Please give me your phone number.
——————————
I called a German friend right away and told her what had happened before I’d even had a chance to absorb the news myself. She was stunned. She said she would contact the chancellery as soon as possible. She might be able to meet me in Berlin, but she wouldn’t be able to get a response the same day.
I was about to write a second letter to Angela Merkel, requesting her help. I still hadn’t received a response to my first letter and now I would have to write a second.
The G-20 summit in Hamburg is coming to an end. Xiaobo is dangerously ill but Xi Jinping isn’t backing down. I find myself compelled to publish the following diary entry, dated midnight on June 16.
————————-
While I was still at the Brighton Poetry Festival a few days ago, [Liu Xia’s close friend] Zhong sent us a message asking for our home phone number. He said someone from the Liu family wanted to get in touch with me. My wife gave it to him. Two days later, when I returned to Berlin, she told me Zhong had been in touch .
That seemed odd to me. For more than three years, it had always been I who would call Liu Xia or Zhong to see how the Lius were doing. Yesterday I called the Liu household several times but no one answered. So I called Zhong to ask where Liu Xia was. Zhong said she was with her brother Liu Hui. I asked how she was doing and he said he didn’t have any news, except that she hadn’t been able to get permission to travel.
This afternoon, I called the Lius again and no one answered. Peter Sillem, the Fischer editor, and the author Herta Müller, both called asking for news. I just sat there. Finally, at half past four, I got a call from someone in the Liu family.
————————–
You’re Liu?
Yes.
Is something wrong?
It’s my uncle. He has end-stage liver cancer.
I couldn’t hear his words clearly, but I was shocked by what I thought I heard: Liu Xia has liver cancer?
No no, it’s my uncle. It’s end-stage.
I was quiet for a moment. “Wait, you mean Xiaobo?”
Yes. My aunt and father wanted me to tell you right away, but you can’t tell anyone else, especially not the press.
I won’t. Can I attempt to get in touch with German government leaders through special channels — Angela Merkel, for instance?
Yes, that’s exactly what they’d like for you to do.
That’s what Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia want?
Yes.
I’ll need a little more information. Where is Xiaobo now? Is he in the prison hospital? That’s where they’d normally put someone who’s very ill. Or have they secretly sent him back to Beijing?
He’s still stuck in the hospital in Shenyang, there’s nothing we can do about it.
My father had cancer. I know liver cancer is one of the worst and most painful kinds.
That’s why my uncle and aunt want to go to Germany! As soon as possible! My uncle said, even if he’s going to die, he’d rather die in Germany.
My eyes filled with tears.
My aunt said Xi Jinping is visiting Germany next month. She wants you to get in touch with Angela Merkel on their behalf and urgently seek her help. Ask her to mention this in her meeting with Xi Jinping, get his permission for Liu Xiaobo to leave the country for emergency medical treatment. You once told my aunt that Merkel is the most sympathetic and human of today’s politicians, that she helped you and many other refugees at great cost.
Can I tell her where this news comes from?
Sure. For the past two months, as a result of my aunt’s work to get permission [to communicate more with Liu Xiaobo], my uncle has finally gotten up to speed with what’s happening with our family, but now he himself is ill.
Got it. Please give me your phone number.
——————————
I called a German friend right away and told her what had happened before I’d even had a chance to absorb the news myself. She was stunned. She said she would contact the chancellery as soon as possible. She might be able to meet me in Berlin, but she wouldn’t be able to get a response the same day.
I was about to write a second letter to Angela Merkel, requesting her help. I still hadn’t received a response to my first letter and now I would have to write a second.
漢堡世界首腦峰會快結束了，曉波命懸一線，而習近平的嘴還沒松動。我不得不公布6月16日子夜筆記：我首次得知曉波垂危。
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
還在英國佈萊頓詩人節時，忠忠微信要我家電話，說劉家要打過來。妻子當即給了，並在前天回柏林時，當面告之。
感覺蹊蹺，因為3年多來，都是我給劉霞或忠忠電話，詢問近況。於是昨天我先致電劉家，幾次，沒人接。於是致電忠忠問劉霞行蹤，忠忠說和劉暉一塊。我問怎樣，他說和過去差不多，只是這次沒批準外出。
今天午後，我再次致電劉霞家，依舊沒人接。菲舍爾總編輯彼得 西冷和作家赫塔 米勒先後來信詢問，我唯有發愣。直到下午4點半鐘，我才突然接到劉家打來的電話：
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
你是劉家？
我是。
有急事嗎？
姑父他得了肝癌，是晚期。
我沒聽清，以為說的是姑姑，大為震驚道：什麽，劉霞肝癌？！
不不，是姑父肝癌晚期。
我愣了片刻，旋即失聲叫道：“曉波他？！！”
是的。姑姑和爸爸讓我盡快告訴你，但是，你不能給任何人說，特別是媒體。
我保證。但是，我可以通過特別管道，向德國政府高層，比如默克爾總理說嗎？
是的，這正是他們要你做的。
劉曉波和劉霞要我做的？
是的。
我需要多一些情況。曉波現在哪裡？監獄醫院嗎？重病犯人一般先住監獄醫院，還是秘密回北京就醫？
在瀋陽的醫院拖著，沒有辦法。
我爸爸得過癌症，我知道肝癌是所有癌症中最疼的。
所以姑姑、姑父要到德國！要盡快到德國！！姑父說：死也要死在德國！
我的眼淚奪眶而出。
姑姑知道習近平下個月訪問德國，請你代替他們倆，向默克爾夫人緊急求助。懇請她在與習近平的會談中，明確提出，讓劉曉波盡快到德國就醫，不，搶救。你曾經給姑姑說，默克爾是當今政治家中，最具人道和憐憫的，她曾經幫助過你，也幫助過許多難民，儘管給她造成很大麻煩。
我可以向默克爾透露消息來源嗎？
可以。這兩個多月，通過姑姑的申請和爭取，政府批准，姑父才逐漸瞭解家裡發生了怎麽，可自己卻不行了。
明白了。請把你的電話給我。
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
未及喘息和思索，我就輾轉致電一個德國人，告知上述情形，她大驚失色。她說會通過渠道，盡快知會總理府。也許她將到柏林與我見面，但今天不會有確定方案。
而我，要給默克爾寫第二封求助信，第一封尚無回音；不料事態陡變，不得不寫第二封。
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
還在英國佈萊頓詩人節時，忠忠微信要我家電話，說劉家要打過來。妻子當即給了，並在前天回柏林時，當面告之。
感覺蹊蹺，因為3年多來，都是我給劉霞或忠忠電話，詢問近況。於是昨天我先致電劉家，幾次，沒人接。於是致電忠忠問劉霞行蹤，忠忠說和劉暉一塊。我問怎樣，他說和過去差不多，只是這次沒批準外出。
今天午後，我再次致電劉霞家，依舊沒人接。菲舍爾總編輯彼得 西冷和作家赫塔 米勒先後來信詢問，我唯有發愣。直到下午4點半鐘，我才突然接到劉家打來的電話：
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
你是劉家？
我是。
有急事嗎？
姑父他得了肝癌，是晚期。
我沒聽清，以為說的是姑姑，大為震驚道：什麽，劉霞肝癌？！
不不，是姑父肝癌晚期。
我愣了片刻，旋即失聲叫道：“曉波他？！！”
是的。姑姑和爸爸讓我盡快告訴你，但是，你不能給任何人說，特別是媒體。
我保證。但是，我可以通過特別管道，向德國政府高層，比如默克爾總理說嗎？
是的，這正是他們要你做的。
劉曉波和劉霞要我做的？
是的。
我需要多一些情況。曉波現在哪裡？監獄醫院嗎？重病犯人一般先住監獄醫院，還是秘密回北京就醫？
在瀋陽的醫院拖著，沒有辦法。
我爸爸得過癌症，我知道肝癌是所有癌症中最疼的。
所以姑姑、姑父要到德國！要盡快到德國！！姑父說：死也要死在德國！
我的眼淚奪眶而出。
姑姑知道習近平下個月訪問德國，請你代替他們倆，向默克爾夫人緊急求助。懇請她在與習近平的會談中，明確提出，讓劉曉波盡快到德國就醫，不，搶救。你曾經給姑姑說，默克爾是當今政治家中，最具人道和憐憫的，她曾經幫助過你，也幫助過許多難民，儘管給她造成很大麻煩。
我可以向默克爾透露消息來源嗎？
可以。這兩個多月，通過姑姑的申請和爭取，政府批准，姑父才逐漸瞭解家裡發生了怎麽，可自己卻不行了。
明白了。請把你的電話給我。
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
未及喘息和思索，我就輾轉致電一個德國人，告知上述情形，她大驚失色。她說會通過渠道，盡快知會總理府。也許她將到柏林與我見面，但今天不會有確定方案。
而我，要給默克爾寫第二封求助信，第一封尚無回音；不料事態陡變，不得不寫第二封。
