80th Anniversary of Buchenwald Liberation Highlights Holocaust Lessons and Modern Challenges

Commemorations in Weimar emphasized remembrance, vigilance against extremism, and the responsibility of future generations while grappling with political tensions.

Survivors and dignitaries gathered in Weimar to mark 80 years since the liberation of Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora concentration camps by U.S. forces in April 1945.
Former German President Christian Wulff warned against normalizing far-right ideologies, specifically criticizing the AfD for fostering an environment of division and danger.
The event highlighted the cultural resistance of prisoners, with music and art created in the camps serving as a testament to defiance against Nazi oppression.
Controversies arose over the exclusion of philosopher Omri Boehm's planned speech and a youth participant's contentious remarks on Palestine, reflecting tensions in modern Holocaust remembrance.
Survivor Naftali Fürst emphasized the urgency of passing the responsibility of remembrance to younger generations as the number of living witnesses dwindles.