WIESBADEN, Germany - On Sunday, Nov. 14, Col. Mario Washington, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden commander, joined Wiesbaden Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende, the Bundeswehr and the German War Graves Association to commemorate the victims of armed conflict and violent oppression on the German National Day of Mourning.
The participants laid down their commemorative wreaths on the war graves memorial at the Wiesbaden South Cemetery in a quiet and solemn ceremony. The number of participants was limited due to the current coronavirus environment.
The new Chairman of the Wiesbaden City Council, Dr. Gerhard Obermayr joined the ceremony as well. In a recent press release from the City of Wiesbaden, Dr. Obermayr reminded that it is important to learn from the past and adjust our actions accordingly. “Especially on the National Day of Mourning when we commemorate the victims of war and tyranny, we become aware that we can consider ourselves lucky to live in peace in Germany,” said Dr. Obermayr. “But this peace must always be lived and defended.”
The annual commemorative ceremony is held in numerous cities around Germany. It was first observed in its modern form in 1952.
Maj. Eduardo Serrano, USAG Wiesbaden’s executive officer, represented the garrison at the ceremony in Mainz. Together with Michael Ebling, Lord Mayor of the city of Mainz, they attached a commemorative ribbon to a communal wreath at the main cemetery in Mainz. In Frankfurt, Capt. Alexander Moore, USAG Wiesbaden’s headquarters company commander, attended the commemorative ceremony at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt.
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