A Cry for Peace: Scholz Urges Unity and Strength in Europe's Defense
Commemoration of War's Conclusion: Scholz Advocates for Europe's Historical Preservation - Motion for a European Parliament vote on the proposed report under consideration.
In the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of authoritarian regimes worldwide, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has sounded the alarm for Europe's protection and unity. Germany, due to its past, carries a significant weight in ensuring this, Scholz emphasized at a memorial service marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the war and the liberation of the concentration camps at the Hamburg Neuengamme Memorial Site.
Reflecting on the atrocities committed by the Germans during World War II, Scholz stated, "The most vital lesson from the war sparked by the Germans, from the National Socialist tyranny, from the murder of millions of women, children, and men, is our unwavering commitment to leaving war between our peoples behind." With hundreds of international guests present, including Holocaust survivors and relatives of victims, Scholz addressed the crowd in his final major public appearance as Chancellor.
Scholz: A Bulwark Against Imperialism and Hatred
Europe, with its liberal democracy and adherence to the rule of law, stands as "the living antithesis to the murderous horrors of war" and must remain hostile to imperialistic conquest and contempt for international law. "It is no surprise that tyrants, extremists, and populists worldwide, including in our countries, seek to undermine and destroy this peaceful and united Europe," Scholz warned.
Especially Germany, Scholz urged, must never forget the darkness that arises from imperialism, disenfranchisement, and racial hatred, as those experiences are essential in resisting such forces.
Tschentscher: The Fight for Democracy Requires More Than Just Laws
Hamburg's Mayor, Peter Tschentscher, underscored the dangers posed by the growing tide of discrimination, populism, and anti-human rhetoric, which lead to the erosion of democracy and the rule of law. "The 80th anniversary of the end of the war serves as a reminder to actively resist these insidious tendencies."
Democracy and freedom cannot be safeguarded by laws and courts alone. "All of us must stand up for it - through consistent action against antisemitism, populism, and any form of discrimination, with a clear stance for tolerance, humanity, and liberty," Tschentscher emphasized.
Among the attendees of the memorial service were relatives of former inmates from 14 nations, including Poland, Israel, and Ukraine. Berlin-born Holocaust survivor Helga Melmed, now 97, expressed concern about the current political landscape:
Melmed: The Poison of Propaganda Lurks Again
Today, chaos reigns, and "hypnotic propaganda" reemerges, slowly convincing many minds. Melmed wondered if political leaders were doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. She called upon everyone to speak out against prejudice and oppression wherever it arises.
More than 100,000 people were imprisoned in the Neuengamme Concentration Camp and its 85 subcamps, according to the Foundation for Hamburg Memorials and Places of Learning. At least 42,900 of them perished. When British soldiers seized Hamburg without resistance on May 3, 1945, they discovered the concentration camp abandoned by the SS, with prisoners either relocated to other camps or forced onto death marches. Tragically, nearly 7,000 inmates perished in a British air raid on ships in the Lübeck Bay on the same day, victims of the SS's callous relocation to the sinking "Cap Arcona" and “Thielbek.”
- Olaf Scholz
- European Solidarity
- Memorial Service
- Concentration Camp
- Ukraine
- Hamburg
- Neuengamme
- SPD
- Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial
- Democracy
- Germany
- War of Aggression
- Peter Tschentscher
- Women
- Anti-Semitism
- Propaganda
- Authoritarianism
- The memorial service held at the Hamburg Neuengamme Memorial Site was attended by Olaf Scholz, who emphasized the importance of European Solidarity in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of authoritarian regimes worldwide.
- As he addressed the crowd in his final major public appearance as Chancellor, Scholz urged that Europe, with its liberal democracy and adherence to the rule of law, must remain hostile to imperialistic conquest and contempt for international law.
- In his speech, Scholz also emphasized that Germany, due to its past, carries a significant weight in ensuring Europe's protection and unity, a sentiment echoed by the city's Mayor, Peter Tschentscher.
- Among the attendees of the memorial service were relatives of former inmates from 14 nations, including Ukraine, who shared their concerns about the current political landscape, with Berlin-born Holocaust survivor Helga Melmed warning of the poison of propaganda that seems to be lurking once again.
