Germany's Volkstrauertag commemorates victims of racism and dictatorship as well as soldiers. The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany used his speech to warn of a rise in right-wing extremism.
The day was marked by the laying of several wreaths and a remembrance ceremony at the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament, attended by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier; the president of the German War Graves Commission, Wolfgang Schneiderhan; and several leading German politicians.
Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer also attended a ceremony at the Jewish Weissensee cemetery in Berlin.
A warning against the return of the far right
Josef Schuster cautioned against the creeping rise of right-wing extremismImage: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Zinken
"We should again be more aware of the crimes of the National Socialists and the lessons we drew from them," said Schuster, who also attended the Weissensee ceremony.
Schuster spoke of "a real danger" of becoming accustomed to right-wing extremism, citing "regular neo-Nazi concerts" and the electoral success of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. He also criticized AfD leader Alexander Gauland over his "bird shit" remark on the Nazi era.
Schuster concluded by saying: "We owe it to those who died in the Second World War, we owe it to the six million Jewish men, women and children to never — I emphasize — never get used to such conditions."
What is Volkstrauertag?
Germany's remembrance day was first observed in 1919 to mourn the victims of the First World War.
In 1934, the Nazis changed the focus and the name of the day — renaming it Heldengedenktag (heroes remembrance day), which it was called until the end of the Second World War.
Now the day is used more widely to commemorate not just soldiers but also victims of violence, terror and oppression, including victims of racism and xenophobia as well as refugees.
The day is not affiliated with any particular religion, although religious groups participate in ceremonies or hold their own ceremonies.
Culinary Memories of East Germany
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Top 10: The most visited museums in Berlin
What do tourists do in Berlin? Sightseeing, shopping, partying — but they also go to the city's more than 200 museums, memorials and exhibition halls. Here are the most popular:
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Wolfram Steinberg
The Topography of Terror: 1.3 million visitors
Berlin's most visited memorial for years has been the Nazi Documentation Center not far from Potsdamer Platz. In 2019, 1.3 million visitors came here to find out about the extent of crimes committed by the Nazis throughout Europe. From 1933 to 1945, the Gestapo and SS, the most important authorities of Nazi terror, were located here.
Image: DW/M. Lenz
Berlin Wall Memorial: 1.2 million visitors
Where did the Berlin Wall stand? How did the Berliners live in the divided city from 1961 to 1989? The Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse is the second most popular place for visitors. It provides information on the background of the construction of the Berlin Wall and reminds visitors of the tragic fates of refugees trying to escape to the West.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Gambarini
Neues Museum (New Museum): 828,000 Besucher
The mysterious Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is one of the most famous art treasures in the world and one of the outstanding exhibits in the Neues Museum. The building is part of Berlin's Museum Island and houses not only treasures from the time of the Pharaohs, but also from the Stone and Bronze Ages.
Image: picture-alliance/U. Baumgarten
Pergamon Museum: 804,000 visitors
It is a treasure trove of ancient, Islamic and Middle Eastern art. Although the Pergamon Altar, the heart of the building, is not currently on display due to construction work, the museum still ranks third among the most visited in Berlin. The Ishtar Gate and the processional street of Babylon are still freely accessible (photo). It is one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World".
Image: picture-alliance/360-Berlin/J. Knappe
German Historical Museum: 775,000 visitors
The German Historical Museum on the boulevard Unter den Linden promises a journey through 2,000 years of German history. The spectrum ranges from Charlemagne's conquests to Luther's theses all the way to German reunification. The museum's collection comprises around 1 million objects. But don't worry; there are always only about 7,000 actually on display.
Image: Horst Rudel
Museum of Natural History: 737,000 visitors
The Brachiosaurus is the largest skeleton of a dinosaur in the world with a height of 13.27 meters (43.5 ft) and a favorite with visitors of the Natural History Museum. The collection was founded in 1810 as part of the Berlin University and today comprises some 30 million objects.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Settnik
The Jewish Museum: 720,000 visitors
Architect Daniel Libeskind chose a rather dramatic architecture: Seen from above, the building looks like a broken Star of David. The Jewish Museum in Berlin-Kreuzberg provides an overview of 1,700 years of German-Jewish history.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/akg-images/D.E. Hoppe
German Museum of Technology: 635,000 visitors
A Rosinenbomber (Raisin Bomber), which is what Berliners called the Western Allied (American and British) aircraft that brought in supplies by air to West Berlin during the Soviet Berlin Blockade in 1948/1949, is what the museum near Potsdamer Platz is all about. The exhibits include windmills, steam locomotives, ships and the world's first computer, built in 1936 by Berlin inventor Konrad Zuse.
What was life like in the former East Germany, what did people's everyday life feel and look like? The DDR Museum in Berlin-Mitte aims to convey an impression of this. Visitors can, for example, sit in the East-German Trabant car, stroll through an originally furnished prefabricated concrete apartment or take a look at a Stasi secret police surveillance room.
Image: DDR Museum, Berlin 2019
Charlottenburg Palace: 548,000 visitors
In tenth place in the Berlin Museum ranking is a masterpiece of Prussian rococo art: the former summer palace of Sophie Charlotte, the first Queen of Prussia. Magnificent festival halls and living rooms, precious porcelains, paintings, silverware and the Prussian crown insignia can be admired here.
