The Duke of Kent has paid tribute to those killed in the bombing of Dresden as he joined commemorations marking the 80th anniversary.
The Duke joined a circle of remembrance in the heart of Dresden. Prince Edward held hands with others as they formed a circle around the old town. The act takes place every year on the anniversary of the bombing as a way of remembering those killed then and throughout World War Two.
Almost 4,000 tonnes of bombs were dropped on Dresden between February 13th and February 15th 1945 as the Allies pushed towards a final defeat of Nazi Germany. A large part of the city was destroyed and almost 25,000 people were killed.
The commemorations for the 80th anniversary centred on remembering the citizens of Dresden who were lost. The Duke of Kent joined a service of reflection and remembrance at the Frauenkirche. The church was destroyed during the bombing and has been rebuilt over the years. In 2000, the Duke presented a rebuilt Cross and Orb to sit on top of the church as a gift from the people of the United Kingdom.
Further official commemorations took place at Dresden Town Hall which was severely damaged in the raids and rebuilt after the war.
The Duke of Kent also visited Neumarkt Square where he was joined by school children learning about the city’s history and through the Dresden Lernweg which is run by the Dresden Trust. The Trust was set up in 1993 to help with the redevelopment of the city and to build strong relationships between the people of the UK and the people of Dresden. The Duke of Kent is its Royal Patron.
There was a further reminder of those bonds with an evening performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem by the Dresden Philharmonie at the Dresden Kulturpalatz. The requiem was written to mark the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral which was rebuilt after Nazi boming raids in World War Two. Coventry and Dresden are now ‘twin cities’ and work together to promote reconciliation as well as economic recovery and prosperity.
The Duke of Kent was representing King Charles III at this series of commemorations. The Duke, now 89, has a long affiliation with Dresden and has visited several times as the work to rebuild, both the city and its bonds with the UK, continues.
