January 27 is the day to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Auschwitz concentration camp's liberation by Soviet Red Army. Everywhere in North America and Europe, from New York to Paris, from the United Nations rostrum to mass media in various countries, the day will be taken as an important date to commemorate and make comments.

On January 24 the United Nations Security Council held a whole-day conference especially for this occasion and representatives from more than 191 countries took part in the commemorating activities; on January 25 the International Auschwitz Committee held a memorializing gathering in Berlin and important German government officials including Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder attended the event and made addresses. On January 27 world leaders including French President Jacques Chirac, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Germany's President Horst Koehler are scheduled to converge on the town of Oswiecim (the Polish town better known by its German name of Auschwitz) in southern Poland for the commemoration. The two exhibitions held by the United Nations and the "Memorial Hall to Mark Nazi Holocaust" in Paris will be open to the public at the same time.

These activities are of many meanings. It is first to review the history with lessons. That is to ask why there happened a ruthless historic tragedy. There are many reasons. For instance, the late-coming imperialist countries required dismembering colonies and spheres of influence in the world once again; Western powers adopted appeasement policy at the cost of small countries' interests. It was another non-negligible important factor that the then the fermentation of the German insular nationalism led to nationalist fanaticism. The Western powers should have deep meditation on their policy while the Germany should make deep examination on what they did before. It is another meaning for the memorial activities that the review of the history should be focused on how to educate the coming generations to know the historical issue correctly. There is another obligation that cannot be allowed to neglect: the generations to come should be educated to avoid the similar human tragedies from happening again. It is without doubt that Britain's little prince in Nazi army uniform with elation gives a warning to people.

In these memorial activities, German government's altitude is a relief. From words to deeds the German leaders express their sincerity. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer in his United Nations speech said that the then Nazi actions were "shocking" with cruel atrocities". He said the Auschwitz concentration camp would go down in history as a symbol of infamy for thousands of years as signs of nationalist holocaust and extreme looking-down upon humanity; and the atrocities will be forever the part of German history. The past German history makes German government have duty to avoid and thump various forms of xenophobia practice including anti-Semitism and nationalism. For these practices the German government will never stand idle. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder reiterated at the Berlin gathering that Germany would remember the historical lesson by heart. He pointed out that Auschwitz is the "most tragic page" in German and European history of culture. The historical burden is heavy and Germany should be responsible for it. He said Nazi awareness and its atrocities are a completely man-made disaster. Although there are no relations between the most living Germans today and the Nazi killers "it is an obligation to remember the history and atrocities in Nazi period by heart. The obligation is not only for the victims of the holocaust, the survivors and their families, but also for ourselves."

People will not forget the scene that the former German Chancellor Willy Brandt kneed down in front of the tombs of Warsaw Jew victims; also not forget former German president Roman Herzog made a deep meditation when he visited Poland 10 years ago. As German governments have faced its history bravely with contrite determination Germany has won forgiveness and respect from the victimized countries in Europe and becomes a responsible big country in the European community.

When people are in memory of Auschwitz, it is natural for people to think of the Nanjing massacre and the policy of "burn all, kill all, loot all" once pursued by the Japanese invaders in China at the same time. That is horrible atrocities in human history. And yet, the sharp contrast is that the eastern country victimizing other countries has never faced the history and acknowledged its moral obligation. On the contrary, it has tried every means to cover up the history. And its historical textbooks have distorted the history and called the "aggression" as "liberation"; describe "looting other countries" as "seeking common prosperity"; and written "naked aggression" into "entry". When its leaders are accused of paying visits to the Yasukuni war shrine they even say "they don't know why the visits can lead to the protests by neighboring countries. Even if under great pressure of public opinion its leaders only say they only express regret that the past war (avoiding "aggression" on purpose) has brought "trouble and "harm" to other countries. In all these so-called "meditation words there have been no such words as "aggressive war", "atrocities", "inhuman", and "massacre".

It is reported that on the occasion when European countries and world's major media commemorate the date of Auschwitz concentration camp, Japan is very calm at home. There is neither statement saying Japanese stand nor memorial activities of non-government groups. Even there is no media report or comment on this matter. It seems that the phenomenon is worthy of deep thinking. So when German leaders bravely face history, people will not know what the leaders of the eastern nation that has brought atrocities to other countries are thinking about.

By People's Daily Online