Berlin Meeting: Honoring Holocaust Victims and Supporting Ukraine
A crucial meeting was held in Germany's capital between Pavel Vugelman, the Deputy Mayor of Odesa, and Roman Shvarzman, the head of the regional association of Jewish former ghetto prisoners, alongside the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The Odesa delegation visited Germany to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Oświęcim. Very few survivors of those horrific times remain alive today.
Odesan Roman Markovich Shvarzman, a former ghetto inmate, shared his personal survival story from World War II, discussing the Soviet government's attitude towards Jews and his life in contemporary Ukraine.
“I am grateful to you and the German Bundestag for the opportunity to share my story with the world and honor the memory of those we lost. Your support for Ukraine and Odesa is also very important to me,” said Roman Shvarzman.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the current situation in Odesa, the importance of preserving memory, and Ukraine's needs, particularly for the protection of civilians and infrastructure and the liberation of occupied territories.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured that Germany stands with Ukraine in this dreadful war waged against the Ukrainian nation, emphasizing that democracy needs protection today.
