Eurocorps pays tribute to the victims of Nazi persecution at Natzweiler-Struthof

• Personal del  Staff from Eurocorps took part, for the first time, in the ceremony held in memory of the victims of Nazi persecution at the memorial to the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp, located in the French Vosges

The memorial, managed by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, hosts an annual ceremony to commemorate the victims of the camp. This year, the international dimension of Natzweiler’s legacy was highlighted. The victims deported to the camp were of 51 different nationalities, which were represented at the ceremony by young people from across Europe.

In the presence of some 300 international guests, as well as relatives of those deported to this concentration camp, the ceremony was presided over by Marie-Christine Verdier-Jouclas, Director-General of the French National Office for Veterans and War Victims.

This moving ceremony to pay tribute to and commemorate the victims was attended by civil and military authorities, representatives of associations of former deportees from Natzweiler from France, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, as well as pupils from schools in Belgium and France.

On behalf of Eurocorps, Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro, Commander of Eurocorps, laid a wreath in memory of the victims, surrounded by the flags of all the organisations present at the ceremony. After the ceremony had concluded, he emphasised that it had been an honour to take part in this tribute and commemoration of the victims, alongside all the families, institutions and representatives of Eurocorps’ member nations. He also highlighted the deeply multinational nature of the ceremony and reaffirmed his commitment to a united and peaceful Europe.

For his part, Michael Landolt, director of the Natzweiler-Struthof Memorial, said that the presence of Eurocorps had been very important, “as the camp received deportees from all over Europe, particularly from countries represented in Eurocorps”.