Germany must help guarantee the existence of the state of Israel, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said Thursday on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. Schröder declared that "the existence of a state of Israel within secure borders was an historic and political responsibility that is a pillar of our foreign policy." Speaking at a concert in Berlin held on the occasion of the anniversary and as work on Germany's own Holocaust memorial continues apace, Schröder hailed the work of Yad Vashem to keep history alive, insisting such memories should not be allowed to fade away. He said the memorial helped contribute to a world in which everyone could live "in mutual respect, humanity and especially, peace."