Meeting in Berlin: Honoring the Victims of Genocide

An important meeting took place in the German capital involving the Deputy Mayor of Odessa, Pavel Vugelman, and Roman Schwartzman, head of the regional association of Jewish former ghetto prisoners, with the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The Odessa delegation is visiting Germany to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Few who experienced the horrors of National Socialism remain alive today.

Roman Markovich Schwartzman, a resident of Odessa and a witness to those events, shared his survival story from World War II, discussing the Soviet government's attitude towards Jews and life in contemporary Ukraine.

“I am grateful to you and the German Bundestag for the opportunity to share my story and honor the memory of those we lost. Your support for Ukraine and Odessa is extremely important to me,” said Roman Schwartzman.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current situation in Odessa, the importance of preserving memory, and Ukraine's needs, particularly for protecting civilians and infrastructure and liberating its territories.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured of Germany's support for Ukraine in this horrific war waged against the Ukrainian nation, emphasizing that democracy needs protection today.