Agency Report –
The remains of 39 Soviet soldiers were laid to rest at a war cemetery in the eastern German state of Brandenburg on Friday.
They were recovered from various locations in Brandenburg over the past few years, according to the organization which looks after war graves in Germany, the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge Landesverband.
The burial took place as part of the 80th anniversary of the fighting near the Oder river, where heavy battles took place in the spring of 1945.
The Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, also attended the event – but not as an invited guest.
The German authorities were “legally required to cooperate” with the embassy, said Oliver Breithaupt, managing director of the Volksbund in Brandenburg.
The organization locates, maintains, and preserves the graves of German war dead while promoting remembrance and international peace education.
“The quiet nature of this event is due to the general political situation,” said Breithaupt.
It was, he said, intended to show a clear distinction from current conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“At a time when war has returned to Europe, these graves remind us how precious peace is,” said Breithaupt.
“Our mission remains to give all victims of war a dignified grave – regardless of their origin. Humanity must never be overshadowed by current conflicts.”
