OPEN LETTER SUPPORTED BY MANY SIGNATORIES.
GERMAN
RUSSIAN
From Berlin to the People of Russia.
The major „Defender 2020“ military exercise currently taking place on the western border of your country, with the participation of Germany and led by the United States, is reason enough for us to address this letter to you.
We see this huge war exercise as an act of irresponsible provocation, straining relationships between our countries and increasing already existing tensions.
75 years after the liberation of Europe from fascism and the victorious end of the war by the Red Army, German soldiers are again standing at the Russian border. At the same time, memories of horrendeous Nazi crimes will be particularly present in people’s minds during the commemorative events and victory celebrations to the east of the line of this military exercise.
We are aware of the great sacrifices made by your people, the peoples of the Soviet Union in their fight against german fascism. Let us not forget that 27 million citizens of the Soviet Union fell victim to this war of predation and to the annihilation and unimaginable cruelty started and caused by fascist Germany.
It is important to us to let you know that we reject war. We condemn military provocations like this military exercise on your country’s western border. We are also opposing any new attempts to rewrite World War II history. We see this as an attempt to justify current aggressive policies against the Russian Federation.
In our city, but also everywhere in the country, especially along the transport routes that were made available to the maneuver, groups and initiatives are formed that network with each other. They are working to resist the military exercise and inform our fellow citizens about the confrontational politics of the NATO countries.
We see Russia as our neighbor. We want to live in peace with you. That is what we stand for.
Laura v. Wimmersperg
Berlin, Sat. March 7 2020
