German right-wing lawmakers refuse to honor nazi victims

Lawmakers of the extra-right wing National Party of Germany (NPD) crustily refused to honor Nazi victims on Friday at a ceremony held in a state parliament to commemorate millions of victims killed by Nazis.

As members of other parties stood to observe a minute's silence for Nazi victims in the state parliament of the eastern state of Saxony, as part of the activities commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, some NPD legislators remained seated, others walked out of the chamber, slamming doors behind them.

In the following debates, NPD lawmakers accused other parties of "failing to pay respect to the true victims," referring to German residents killed when Allied troops bombed the Saxony capital of Dresden on Feb. 13, 1945.

The right-wing extremists demanded the parliament endorse a resolution to condemn "Allied atrocities," but was rejected by the chamber.

"We must never forget the Dresden inferno, but we must also not forget how things came to that juncture in the first place," said legislature speaker Cornelius Weiss.

The NPD is now planning to hold anti-Allies demonstrations on Feb. 13, the 60th anniversary of the bombings on Dresden. Some 5,000 right-wing extremists are expected to attend.

The foreigners-unfriendly party managed to enter the legislature last September in the economically hard-hit Saxony state.

Source: Xinhua