Freedom must be defended, while hatred, racism and anti-semitism must be combated.
this was The message from Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, in a speech on the anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall.
The 9. november, which is the anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall 30 years ago, represents ‘joy and sorrow’ in German history.
9. november is also the anniversary of kristallnacht in 1938, when Germany’s nazi leader Adolf Hitler stepped up jødeforfølgelserne.
It is “a reminder that we all must denounce racism and anti-semitism”, says Merkel.
It reminds us that human rights can’t be taken for granted, says the chancellor.
– The values on which Europe is founded – freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, respect for human rights is anything but obvious. They must be renewed and defended again and again, stated Merkel.
Merkel, who herself grew up in East germany, is for many germans as a political symbol of the united Germany.
She arrived on Saturday at 10 o’clock to Bernauer Strasse, where there is a memorial to the division of Germany, and where the official ceremony would be held.
Many of the hundreds of specially invited guests were directly affected by the wall on the border between east and west.
Germany’s federal president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, honored on Saturday, leaders from the countries that were part of the Visegrad group.
He thanked the central and eastern european neighbours to have been to ensure a peaceful revolution back in 1989.
– Together with our friends, we remember with great gratitude the events of 30 years ago, said Steinmeier during Saturday’s ceremony.
– Without the courage and determination for freedom from the poles and the hungarians, the czechs and the slovaks, would the peaceful revolutions in Eastern europe and the reunification of Germany not have been possible, said the federal president.
