80 Years of World War II: Russian ambassador wants to become a further memorial event

The Russian ambassador Sergei Netschajew wants to take part in another memorial event at the end of World War II 80 years ago. In Torgau in Saxony, the clash of American and Soviet soldiers on the Elbe on April 25, 1945 was reminded. The ambassador “will accept the invitation of the city of Torgau and take part in the planned events,” said a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Berlin to the German Press Agency on request.

The Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) will also take part in the commemoration. In contrast to Russia, the United States will not be there with an official representative. “The US consulate in Leipzig is unable to take part in the ceremony this year,” said a spokeswoman for the US embassy in Berlin when asked by DPA.

No right to speak for Russian ambassadors

According to the city of Torgau, no explicit invitations were sent to the messages. The foreign representatives of several countries – including the Russian – were already informed in writing about the public event in February. The procedure was coordinated with the Saxon State Chancellery, said Torgaus Mayor Henrik Simon (independent) of the dpa.

The Russian representation had announced that Ambassador Netschajew would take part. It was also asked for a right to speak. “However, we knocked it out in order not to give a platform,” said Simon. In addition to Kretschmer, a representative of the Evangelical Church and the Managing Director of the Saxon Memorials Foundation will speak at the memorial event. Then a wreath laying is planned.

Foreign Office recommended that Russia was excluded

Last week the participation Netschajews caused a sensation at a memorial event at the Seelower heights east of Berlin. The greatest battle of the Second World War had taken place there 80 years ago, in which 35,000 Soviet, 16,000 Germans and 2,000 Polish soldiers were killed.

The Federal Foreign Office had previously advised against the federal government to allow official Russian representatives to allow world war memorial events to allow official Russian representatives. This was justified with the fear that Russia could “instrumentalize these events and to combine his attack war against Ukraine”.

Bundestag president Julia Klöckner (CDU) excluded the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus, referring to these recommendations from the central memorial event on May 8 in the parliament. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will speak there.

Trump and Putin conjured up the “Spirit of the Elbe” in 2020

On April 25th, Torgau commemorates the so-called Elbe Day every year, where American and Soviet soldiers met on the destroyed Elbe bridge. The photo of the handshake of Torgau went as a symbol of the end of the Second World War and the liberation from the National Socialist tyranny around the world.

On the 75th anniversary of 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, who was at the time during his first term, had recognized the anniversary in a joint statement. “The” Spirit of the Elbe “is an example of how our countries can put differences aside, build trust and work together for a bigger cause,” they wrote.

Cancellation of the commemoration after Russian attack 2022

Two years later, the commemorative celebrations in Torgau were canceled at short notice. The reason was the Russian attack on Ukraine two months earlier. “The current situation and the daily events appear to be advised not to carry out such a meeting this year,” said the city of Torgau at the time.