German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed concern at the rise of nationalist and right-wing extremist forces in his country during a visit to Italy to mark the 80th anniversary of the World War II Marzabotto massacre on Sunday.<\/p>\n
“Forces that wish to weaken or undermine democracy – in my country, of all places – that worries me,” Steinmeier said.<\/p>\n
There was a greater responsibility than before to stand up and fight for the values of a united Europe and its democracies, he said.<\/p>\n
Steinmeier travelled to Italy immediately after Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s three-day visit to Germany.<\/p>\n
The two presidents attended an event to mark the 80th anniversary of the Marzabotto massacre near Bologna.<\/p>\n
Steinmeier described commemoration as a “responsibility for our history, especially for us Germans” so that what once took place could not happen again. This responsibility was without end, he said.<\/p>\n
German Nazis murdered almost 800 people in Marzabotto, including numerous women and children, between September 29 and October 1, 1944, in retaliation for a partisan attack. It was among the worst massacres carried out by German soldiers on Italian soil during World War II.<\/p>\n
Steinmeier received much applause during his speech, which he delivered in Italian. He expressed sorrow and shame for the German crimes and asked the victims and their relatives for forgiveness.<\/p>\n
The German president and Mattarella also met with a group of survivors and relatives of the victims of the massacre on Sunday and attended several wreath-laying ceremonies.<\/p>\n