Foreign dignitaries and German survivors of the February 13-14, 1945, firebombing of Dresden gathered in the city of Dresden on Friday for commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the attack.
“We remember all of those who were killed at that time, as victims of violence and war, not only in Dresden, but also in other places,” German President Joachim Gauck said in a speech to dignitaries, including representatives from Britain, Poland, Russia and other nations.
“We know who it was that begun the murderous war,” he reinforced, adding that consequently, “we will never forget the victims of German warfare, when here today we remember the German victims.”
On February 13, 1945 and two days afterwards, British and American bombers unleashed bombs on Dresden and about 25,000 people died.
Body of a woman who died in an air-raid shelter (Richard Peter/ Deutsche Fotothek) 
Bodies of civilian casualties in Dresden, 1945. (Richard Peter/ Deutsche Fotothek) 
Dresden, 1945, view from the city hall over the destroyed city (Richard Peter/ Deutsche Fotothek) 
Dresden after the bombing raid (Bundesarchiv) 
Mass Pile of Bodies in Dresden after the bombing raid (Bundesarchiv) 
Dresden after the bombing raid (Bundesarchiv)
