Declaration: Committed to peace in Europe and the world!
8/9 May 2022 marks the 77th anniversary of the liberation from National Socialism. With the ‘unconditional surrender of all German troops’, the Second World War ended in Europe on 8 May 1945. In this war of extermination, Germany inflicted endless suffering on many peoples.
The Soviet Union, with 27 million victims, paid a heavy price in blood. All the peoples of the Soviet Union contributed to the victory over fascism. The German occupation of what is now Belarus, for example, ended with immense material destruction and the death of around a quarter of the population, including almost the entire Jewish population. Even the distant Kyrgyz SSR lost around a fifth of its population during the war. The Soviet Union mourned the deaths of almost 15 million civilian victims.
Reconciliation between peoples after the end of the Second World War is part of the catalogue of common values that we all share, across Europe, from the Atlantic to the Urals, and beyond. As a European date, 8 May/9 May is today commemorated by many Europeans from the countries invaded by German fascism. It is part of a collective European memory, whereby each nation has its own feelings and experiences in accordance with its fate. This is a day of remembrance of what people had to suffer and a day of liberation from the inhuman system of National Socialist tyranny.
In view of Russia’s unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine and the unforeseeable consequences, we call on everyone to remember the catalogue of common values after the Second World War, to work for peace and international understanding and to stop the dangerous spiral of further violence, armament, sanctions and division.
Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker concluded his speech at the German Bundestag’s commemoration ceremony on 8 May 1985 with the following words:
“The request to young people is:
Do not allow yourselves to be driven into enmity and hatred against other people,
against Russians or Americans,
against Jews or against Turks,
against alternatives or against conservatives,
against blacks or against whites.
Learn to live with each other, not against each other.
Let us, as democratically elected politicians, always take this to heart and set an example.
Let us honour freedom.
Let us work for peace.
Let us abide by the law.
Let us serve our inner standards of justice.
Let us face the truth as best we can on 8 May today.”
In this sense, we are committed to promoting peace in Europe and around the world through our actions.
Jelena Hoffmann, Chairwoman of the Board, West-Eastern Encounters Foundation
Andreas Dippe, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, West-Eastern Encounters Foundation
Peter Franke, Chairman, Federal Association of German West-East Societies
Martin Hoffmann, Executive Board, German-Russian Forum