Commemorating the end of the war 75 years ago

At today's so-called silent wreath-laying ceremony, Chemnitz city councillors, representatives of the Association of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime and League of Anti-Fascists Chemnitz (VVN-BdA) and the Lord Mayor of the city Barbara Ludwig commemorated the end of the Second World War and the liberation from National Socialism 75 years ago.

To mark this 75th anniversary, Mayor Barbara Ludwig delivered a message at the war cemetery on Richterweg and at the memorial in the Park of the Victims of Fascism.

The commemorations were accompanied by a piece of cello music.

The message delivered by the Lord Mayor will also be sent to the twin cities of the City of Chemnitz, which were unable to attend despite being invited due to the current situation.

The original plan was for official delegations from Akron, Lodz, Manchester, Mulhouse, Usti nad Labem and Volgograd to commemorate the 75th anniversary together in Chemnitz. These are twin cities from Allied countries as well as twin cities from countries that were particularly affected by the war.

In addition to the delegations, young people between the ages of 16 and 18 from the cities listed were invited to join young people from Chemnitz in a theatre project under the slogan "Past - Present - Future" to explore this anniversary and clarify how the events of that time still affect us today.

The final presentation of the workshop, which was conceived and professionally supported by Städtische Theater Chemnitz gGmbH, was scheduled for 8 May 2020.

There was to be a lecture by Chemnitz University of Technology for pupils at Dr Wilhelm André Gymnasium.

In addition, the European Neighbourhood Festival originally planned for tomorrow was also to be included in the events.

Due to the current situation, however, the grand commemoration on the occasion of the 75th anniversary was turned into a silent wreath-laying ceremony.

The war cemetery on Richterweg in Chemnitz-Reichenhain is home to fallen Soviet soldiers as well as prisoners of war and forced labourers who lost their lives here in the region. The memorial in the Park of the Victims of Fascism commemorates the victims of the National Socialist regime.

DECLARATION ON THE DAY OF LIBERATION

Dear Members of the Bundestag and the Landtag,
Dear parliamentary group chairmen and members of the Chemnitz City Council,
Dear citizens of Chemnitz,

Today we stand silently at the monuments in our city to remember the victims of the Second World War. An insane war of extermination that started in Germany. Driven by a murderous ideology. Millions of senseless deaths. Brought upon the world by Germany.

We stand still because the scale of the horror for which we, the Germans, are responsible is still shocking and shameful today. Because there are hardly any words to describe the horror.

Because it is irreparable. And must never be forgotten.

Because it is up to us to ensure that such horror is not repeated.

And we are standing quietly together today because the circumstances in spring 2020 make it impossible to actually remember together: We wanted to spend today, 8 May, this 75th anniversary of liberation, together with guests from our twin cities of Volgograd, Manchester, Mulhouse and Akron, as well as Lodz and Usti nad Labem. We can't be together today due to the pandemic - but we can be together in thought.

We are so grateful for the friendship with the citizens of our twin towns. They still tell us today about their fathers, grandfathers, uncles and other relatives who lost their lives on the battlefields of Europe. For the liberation from National Socialism.

This touches us with gratitude.

8 May is the day of liberation. It is our obligation to act responsibly. To protect peace. To preserve democracy. To promote friendship between people in the world, understanding and togetherness. Again and again.

The message of 8 May is: Peace. Respect for the peoples of the world. That's what the people in Volgograd are saying. In Manchester. In Mulhouse. In Akron. In Chemnitz. This is the task of future generations. Our task.

Peace.