“Standing here as the chancellor of Germany and having the opportunity to speak is difficult, this is not easy for me. I feel great shame, given the brutal crimes committed here by the Germans, ”Merkel quotes TASS.
She called Auschwitz a place representing "a symbol of the largest crime in human history."
“We must remember the crimes that occurred in this place,” the chancellor said.
She noted the importance of “clearly pointing out the perpetrators,” she said, “this is part of German history that needs to be talked about in order to be on the alert so that these crimes never happen again.”
“We must counteract those who expand hatred. We are all responsible for this. We cannot forget or revise this, ”added Merkel.
In early September, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, during commemorative events on the occasion of the anniversary of the outbreak of World War II in the Polish city of Wielum, said that Germany would not forget its responsibility for crimes in Europe.