Bravo, Angela Merkel

It does take tremendous courage to appear before a gathering of individuals representing an entire population whom those you represent have been guilty of visiting the most horrendous fate possible upon. That a country whose civility, whose proud literature, philosophy and celebration of academic achievement and scientific innovation could slip to the depths of inhumane depravity in its pathological need to destroy an entire people, is a situation entirely without defence.

For a representative of that egregiously erring, murderously-intent country to appear before a collection of the victim population's modern legislators represents an exercise in devoutly sincere and humble regret. Taking upon oneself the responsibility for the atrocities committed by one's forbears is no easy task. Committing oneself through the position of authority held in the country at fault, to do everything in their power to make amends is no easy promise to make.

"The Shoah fills us Germans with shame", she said, addressing the Israeli parliament. "I bow to the victims. I bow to all those who helped the survivors" she continued. Those who risked their lives in a malevolent society intent on genocide, those whom Israel now calls "righteous Gentiles" and who have an honoured place in the memory of worldwide Jewry. Which, in its totality only yet reflects slightly more in number than those six million who perished in the Holocaust.

"To speak to you in this honourable assembly is a great honour for me", she declared. In the audience were the aged remnants in Israel of European Jews who were survivors, death camp inmates whom fortune had denied the Angel of Death. Those to whom the very language of their tormentors must have been anathema. Yet Chancellor Merkel, recognizing this fact, said "I thank you all that I am allowed to speak to you in my mother tongue today", continuing her address in German.

"Congratulations in the State of Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations", she said, in sombre recognition of the fact that the Holocaust, the dread and deadly persecution of European Jews by Nazi Germany was directly implicated in the result of the founding of the State of Israel; an independent country located in an ancient land of the Jews, offering refuge from an hostile world.

"Shalom", she said. And let it be so.