Polish Heads Gethered For WWII Anniversary
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 12:09 pm
POLAND: Polish leaders, diplomats and veterans gathered Tuesday at 4:45 am (0245 GMT) in Westerplatte near Gdansk to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.
Exactly 70 years ago, a German Nazi warship opened fire on a Polish fortress Westerplatte in the Baltic Sea and the Second World War began. 180 The strongest proponents of creating a heroic resistance during a week in 3500 against German soldiers.
The shell of the Schleswig-Holstein Friday, September 1st, 1939, were the trigger for a global conflict that was to claim 50 million lives, including six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
The leaders of two dozen nations on both sides in the war – including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin – were to meet on Tuesday in the ruins of the fortress Westerplatte to remember the beginning of the bloodiest conflict history, and whose legacy endures to this day is divided.
“We are here to recall that in that war was the aggressor and who was the victim, and that without an honest memory nor Europe, nor Poland, nor the world ever live in security,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in the pre – dawn ceremony.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski recalled that on 17 September 1939 “Bolshevik Russia, put a knife in the back of Poland, occupying its eastern territories under the German-Soviet Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
In Poland, “the night of the occupation was marked by the Holocaust, but also by the slaughter of Polish officers at Katyn,” conducted by Stalin’s political police, “Kaczynski said.
The main commemoration ceremony Westerplatte would attend Tuesday afternoon by some 20 heads of government, representatives of belligerents then German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Guests include the prime ministers of France, Italy, Ukraine and Sweden, current president of the European Union. The U.S. Government will be represented by National Security Adviser James Jones.
The speeches of Merkel and Putin will pay particular attention in Poland, where the varying interpretations of the Second World War is a heavy burden on the anniversary ceremonies.
|
|
|
From World:
Got something to say?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Todays news from World Breaking news
- Gujarat Riots: High Court Slams Narendra Modi Govt For Failing
- Syria’s Homs Suffers ‘Heaviest’ Shelling
- Gilani Files Appeal In Contempt Case
- Maldives President Resigns After Police Revolt
- Gen. James N. Mattis Visit: US Mulling To Apologise Over Nato Attack
Advertisement
Email Subscription
Advertisement
