An important meeting was held in the capital of Germany between the Deputy Mayor of Odesa, Pavlo Vugelman, and the head of the regional association of Jewish former ghetto prisoners, Roman Schwartzman, with the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The Odesa delegation is visiting Germany for an official event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp located in Oświęcim. Very few individuals who personally experienced the horrors of National Socialism remain alive today.
Roman Markovich Schwartzman is one of those who endured the ghetto. He shared his survival story during World War II and discussed the Soviet authorities' attitude toward Jews, as well as his life in modern Ukraine.
“I am grateful to you and the German Bundestag for the opportunity to tell my story to the world and to honor the memory of those we lost. Your support for Ukraine and Odesa is very important to me,” said Roman Schwartzman.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the current situation in Odesa, issues related to the preservation of memory, and Ukraine's needs, particularly regarding the protection of civilians and infrastructure, as well as the liberation of its territories.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured support for Ukraine from Germany in this horrific war, emphasizing that democracy requires protection.
