Nikolas Michael Krause, a German language teacher at Nanjing University, wins the city's Wutong Award Dec 18, 2019. [Photo/nanjing.gov.cn]

Nikolas Michael Krause, a German language teacher at Nanjing University, won the city's Wutong (Chinese Parasol Tree) Award Dec 18, 2019 and was named a cultural ambassador as part of the award. 

He was praised for translating John Rabe, an original opera regarded as the Chinese version of Schindler's List, into German last July and helped the show reach European audiences. 

Rabe was a German businessman who is widely known for his efforts to stop the atrocities of the Japanese army slaying unarmed soldiers and civilians during the Nanjing Massacre in 1937. He protected and saved many Nanjing residents. 

Krause said the story meant a lot to him. 

"I felt so sad about this part of history and I could not get to sleep several times thinking about it," he said. "I'm honored to tell this story." 

Now settled in Nanjing, Krause said he had been to the city three times during his undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies. 

"I love Nanjing," he said. "Nanjing is my warm home, and I care about its development. December is a joyous time for Westerners, but as a Nanjing expat who has lived in the city for so many years, I feel a heavy heart in that month." 

Looking forward, Krause expects to tell the truth of history, record the beauty and prosperity of Nanjing, and bring these stories to more foreigners.