En: Livestream available on the YouTube and Facebook account of Volksbund Deutscher Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. (www.facebook.com/volksbund)
May 8, 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, but it was not before September 2 1945 that this global conflict came to an end in Asia. A conflict that had its origin in Germany’s war of aggression. At that time the European countries were facing immense challenges: rebuilding economy and democracy and developing peaceful and trustful relationships between each other.
The role the United States of America played in the Allied Forces liberating Europe from Nazi occupation was a decisive one. The USA ensured the reconstruction and reconciliation of Germany and his neighbors. You can hardly imagine a better place to understand this partnership over the Atlantic and within the continent than Luxembourg in the heart of Europe: EU institutions, economic co-operation and the neighborly everyday life of bi-national families, commuters and tourists.
In a multipolar world this unique peace project of multilateral co-operation and European integration is challenged again today: geopolitics, climate change or the Corona pandemic with travel restrictions and border controls. Precisely now, transatlantic and European partnership is essential. Once again, this shows us that Europe can only be united in its diversity. That is why European and transatlantic partners need to know better about their respective historical experiences and perspectives to overcome problems of quite historic proportions.
How is our common history connecting or still dividing our societies? How can historical reflection and shared remembrance of the victims of war foster an understanding and confidence amongst them? What are our shared values and goals we are committed to?
These issues are discussed in the series ´remembrance cultures under discussion´ by
– Prof. Dr. Sonja Kmec, Historian and Associate professor at Luxembourg University
– John Wessels, Chief Operating Officer, American Battle Monuments Commission, Paris
– Dr. Heinrich Kreft, Historian and former German Ambassador to Luxembourg, Andrássy Universität Budapest
– Brigadier General (rtd.) Dirk Backen, Director Service and Cooperation at German War Graves Commission/Volksbund, former German military attaché in Washington
Hosted by Bernd Kleinheyer, lecturer at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences