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In a powerful address on Sunday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, reaffirming Germany’s unwavering responsibility to preserve the memory of the Holocaust. Speaking before a gathering of the Jewish community in Frankfurt, Scholz rejected any notion of “turning the page” on the horrors committed by Nazi Germany, emphasizing the need to face history head-on, regardless of one’s background or beliefs.
“I am against turning the page, saying ‘that was long ago,’” Scholz stated. He reminded the audience that the Holocaust represents “millions of individual stories,” each as personal as “people like you and me.” This collective memory, he stressed, is grounded in “indisputable facts that everyone in our country must face.” As Germany reflects on the tragic history of Auschwitz, Scholz warned of the “worrying and alarming normalization” of anti-Semitism, hate speech, and far-right movements—concerns particularly heightened on social media, where such sentiments often fuel violence.
Scholz’s remarks came at a time when Germany is facing a surge in far-right activity, particularly ahead of snap elections. The rise of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has drawn significant concern, with the party’s controversial rhetoric increasingly resembling the dangerous ideologies of the Nazi era. A recent campaign stunt by the AfD involved distributing flyers styled as “Deportation Tickets,” reminiscent of Nazi-era deportation methods, which has sparked widespread backlash. The comparisons to the one-way tickets handed out by the Nazis in the 1930s are unsettling, echoing the chilling past of forced migration and violence.
The legacy of Auschwitz, where more than one million people were murdered by the Nazis, looms large in the collective memory of Germany. While most victims were Jewish, many others, including Roma, non-Jewish Poles, and Soviet prisoners of war, also perished in the brutal conditions of the camp. Scholz reminded the audience that the task of remembrance is not just about recalling history, but about ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.
As he concluded, Scholz emphasized that Germany’s responsibility to honor the memory of the Holocaust “will not end” and urged the nation to remain vigilant against the threats posed by rising hate and extremism. “We must continue to protect Jewish communities and safeguard the values of democracy,” he declared, calling for unwavering resolve in the face of rising hate-filled ideologies.
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