inflicted on them and others during World War II and called reconciliation between his country and those who suffered "one of the miracles of European history." In an interview with Russia’s ‘Komsomolskaya Pravda’ newspaper, he described the loss of over 27 million lives and the "indescribable destruction" in the former Soviet Union as "frightening results” of World War II. Among other victims were six million Jews who perished in Nazi concentration canps.
"Today we ask forgiveness for the suffering inflicted upon the Russian people and other peoples at the hands of Germans and in the name of Germans," he was quoted as saying. Schroeder told the news paper that no other country was required to pay as high a cost in the victory against Adolf Hitler’s Germany as the former Soviet Union. His comments came a day before world leaders from dozens of countries were expected to gather in Moscow to mark the 60th anniversary of the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany.
RECONCILIATION MIRACLE
Schroeder stressed reconciliation between Germany and its eastern neighbors, despite the horrors of the Second World War and the later Cold War was "one of the miracles" of European history. "Our peoples have never been so tightly linked to one another. We are connected by a strategic partnership for the good of a peaceful, flowering Europe and a stable world order."
There was no sign however of reconciliation between Russia and the Baltic states over celebrations marking the end of the war in Europe. Lithuanian and Estonian leaders said they would boycott Monday’s ceremonies in Moscow, because they see the end of the war as the beginning of over four decades of Soviet occupation.
But Russia claims Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia "willingly" joined the Soviet Union after its troops liberated them from Nazi rule. The Kremlin condemned United States President George W. Bush for expressing some sympathy for the Baltic’s’ opinion.
"PAINFUL HISTORY"
Speaking in Riga, Latvia, Saturday, April 6, President Bush said Americans will never forget what he called "the Baltics’ painful history." "I recognize that, in the West, the end of the Second World War meant peace, but in the Baltics’, it brought occupation and Communist oppression," he said at a news conference.
Bush urged all sites however to reconcile their differences and look to the future. "This moment in history will give everybody a chance to recognize what took place in the past, and move on," he stressed. "I fully understand there is a lot of anger and frustration involved in the three Baltic countries about the occupation…My hope is that we are now able to move beyond that phase of history into a phase that is embracing democracy and free societies."
The American president repeated his message about the spread of freedom and democracy during a somber ceremony Sunday, May 8, in the Netherlands, where over 8,000 American troops are buried under curving rows of white crosses and Stars of David.
NO MOOD
But commentators said Russian President Vladimir Putin is in no mood to discuss these issues with Bush, and that it will be interesting to see their body language when they toast in Moscow. In some encouraging signs for Putin, President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland, which was long occupied by Russian forces, reportedly joined other officials in paying tribute to both Poles "and Soviet troops" killed in the conflict at ceremonies in Wroclaw.
In France, ceremonies were held in the city of Reims, where Nazi Germany’s military formally surrendered to the allies exactly 60 years ago. The formal armistice ending the war in Europe was signed in Berlin a day later.
French President Jacques Chirac presided at a memorial service on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, while Britain’s Prince Charles laid a wreath at a war-memorial in central London.
(With reports from Moscow, The Netherlands and BosNewsLife Research in Budapest)
