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Minister-president of Germany's state of Brandenburg pays tribute to Minsk ghetto prisoners

Matthias Platzeck, minister-president of Germany's eastern state of Brandenburg, on Monday visited Jama, a Holocaust memorial in Minsk, to pay tribute to around 5,000 prisoners of the Minsk Jewish ghetto that were executed by Nazi troops.

After laying a flower wreath and holding a minute's silence, Mr. Platzeck headed for the memorial stones on Sukhaya Street that commemorate German and Austrian Jews killed in the Minsk ghetto.

Leanid Levin, leader of the Union of Belarusian Jewish Public Associations and Communities, former prisoners of Jewish ghettos and Nazi death camps, former forced laborers and WWII veterans attended the ceremonies.

“I can imagine what strong emotions you feel now, remembering the war,” Dr. Plazeck said, addressing the gathering. “As a German, I am thankful to you because I fully understand Germany’s responsibility. It is a very hard responsibility." // BelaPAN.