Visit to Dachau

Merkel to become first German leader to visit Dachau

Merkel will lay a wreath at the site’s memorial, make a short speech, and will tour the camp, AFP reported, citing Merkel’s spokesperson.  Merkel will be joined on her visit by Holocaust survivor Max Mannheimer, director of the site, and by Bavaria’s education minister. In 1992, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl turned down a request to visit the concentration camp, angering Jewish and Israeli groups. Seven years earlier, US President Ronald Reagan also refused to visit, saying that he and Kohl both agreed that it was unnecessary.

Hat tip: EoZ