The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, and the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas, are in Marzabotto today to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the Nazi slaughter in 1944. It is the first time that the Foreign Ministers of Italy and Germany together attend the ceremony to pay tribute to the many Italian victims of the atrocious act of retaliation.
It is an event of great significance, which bears witness to the two Countries’ determination to keep alive the memory and moved respect for the many persons whose life was so deliberately and tragically taken. Moreover, the simultaneous presence of the two ministers prompts a reflection on the deepest-set reasons and ideals of the European integration process which, motivated by the violent conflicts of the 20th century, has brought 70 years of peace to the Continent.
By coming to Marzabotto, the Foreign Ministers of Italy and Germany intend to underscore the particular symbolic value of the homage paid to the collective conscience of Italy, Germany and Europe: the memory of the crimes of war and the achievements reached through the European unification. The occasion offers the opportunity to reaffirm their common commitment to make the European Union easier to understand and closer to the citizens.
