Monday, February 2, 2015

Grand Duke Pays Tribute to late German President

Photo: Jean Weydrich / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu
On Saturday, former German President Richard von Weizsäcker died at the age of 94. Legally Richard Karl Freiherr (Baron) von Weizsäcker, he served President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1984 to 1994. He had previously also been the Governing Mayor of West Berlin. Weizsäcker is considered to be one of the greatest German post-war politicians. His 1985 speech commemorating the 40th anniversary of the End of the Second World War is thought to be the most important and ground-breaking given by any German President.

To pay his respects to the late German President, Grand Duke Henri sent the following letter of condolence to the current President, Joachim Gauck.

Sehr geehrter Herr Bundespräsident,

Im Namen des luxemburgischen Volkes möchten die Großherzogin und ich, Ihnen und dem deutschen Volk unser tief empfundenes Beileid aussprechen.

Bundespräsident Richard von Weizsäcker wird als weiser Staatsmann und moralische Autorität in die Geschichte eingehen. Wie kaum ein anderer verstand er es, den Geist der neuen Bundesrepublik zu verkörpern.

Der Staatsbesuch vom Jahre 1988 ist in Luxemburg in bester Erinnerung geblieben, als der damalige Bundespräsident mit Worten der Freundschaft und der Versöhnung meine Landsleute zutiefst berührte.

Mit großem Respekt verneigen wir uns vor seinem politischen Handeln und seiner herausragenden Persönlichkeit.
Henri
Großherzog von Luxemburg


Translation by Luxarazzi:

Dear Mr. President,

on behalf of the Luxembourgish people the Grand Duchess and I would like to express our deepest condolences to You and the people of Germany. 

Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker will go down in history as a wise statesman and moral authority. More than almost anyone else, he understood how to embody the spirit of the new Federal Republic [of Germany]. 

The state visit to Luxembourg in 1988 is kept in best memories. The former Federal President's words of friendship reconciliation touched the souls of my fellow countrymen deeply. 

With the greatest respect we bow our heads to his political action and his outstanding personality.

Henri
Grand Duke of Luxembourg

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