BERLIN: King Charles III of Britain will honor Germans who died in Allied air attacks during the World War II on Friday, a gesture that has great significance for both the nations.
The monarch will visit Hamburg’s St. Nikolai memorial on the third and last day of his first state visit since taking the throne, where he will lay a wreath along with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The move in the ruins of a church will be unparalleled for a British sovereign.
Bild, the top-selling newspaper in Germany, reported that Charles “be a silent motion, a quick bow, and a peaceful prayer. But, that will speak louder than any speech”.
History and politics are explosive regarding the German suffering during World War II. Germany’s mainstream avoids talking about its pain during the war because of its guilt over the slaughter of six million Jews.
Among the most divisive actions the Allies performed were the air attacks, which aimed to terrorize the people and force a capitulation. Yet they also murdered thousands of innocent civilians. The far-right frequently uses the bombings’ memories to contrast German suffering with Nazi guilt. Among the cities in Nazi Germany that received the most bombings were Hamburg and Dresden.
With the Royal Air Force attacking at night and the US troops bombing during the day, Britain and the US launched a joint attack on Hamburg on July 24, 1943, in what was known as a “Blitz week.”
Around 9,000 tons of explosives, known as Operation Gomorrah, were detonated, killing over 30,000 people and destroying the port city. During the raids, Bomber pilots used the St. Nikolai church tower as a landmark.
St. Nikolai, created by the English architect George Gilbert Scott, who reconstructed London’s Westminster Abbey, has been abandoned and is now home to a WWII memorial and museum.
Charles’ three-day visit
Throughout Charles’ three-day visit, which has been widely understood as an effort to form bridges after Brexit, the themes of reconciliation and a future forged by shared values have been prevalent.
Charles has made more than 40 trips to Germany, where he has family links. Yet, he accomplished several firsts while on his trip as king, including being the only monarch to address the German parliament.
Helene von Bismarck, a historian living in Hamburg, wrote an article for the Guardian stating that Charles’ visit to the memorial is more than just a photo opportunity. She wrote that it is a significant and much-appreciated gesture for the monarch to participate in this commemoration.
