German President Frank Walter
Steinmeier told a press conference in Bellevue with President
Sergio Mattarella Friday that he would attend an 80th
anniversary service at the scene of the worst Nazi atrocity in
WWII at Marzabotto in the Bolognese Appenines Sunday "grateful
and with deep humility". Waffen SS troops killed at least 770
Italian civilians in the small village from September 29 to
October 5 1944. It was the largest massacre of civilians
committed by the Waffen SS in western Europe during the war. It
is also the deadliest mass shooting in the history of Italy. "I
am grateful that we will go together with the Italian president
to Marzabotto on Sunday and participate in the commemoration of
the victims", said Stenimeier alongside visiting President
Mattarella. "Eighty years ago a unit of the SS and Wehrmacht
murdered hundreds of civilians in the small town in a brutal
manner," he recalled. "The Marzabotto massacre is one of the
many crimes of the SS and Wehrmacht committed in Italy. "Crimes
that, as we know, left deep wounds in Italy. "I feel deep
humility and gratitude that the Federal President of Germany can
attend the commemoration of the victims of the crimes in
Marzabotto."
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