A German war cemetery was opened on Saturday, August 3, in the town of Dukhovshchina, Smolensk Region.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankA German war cemetery was opened on Saturday, August 3, in the town of Dukhovshchina, Smolensk Region.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/96/182589697_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_f4344a0983390419f88a8066b0eb8285.jpg)
A German war cemetery was opened on Saturday, August 3, in the town of Dukhovshchina, Smolensk Region.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankThe opening of the cemetery marks the 70th anniversary of the Smolensk Offensive which took place from August 7 to October 2 1943.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/97/182589711_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_d378a49044a06c2baeaaabc05ed3691b.jpg)
The opening of the cemetery marks the 70th anniversary of the Smolensk Offensive which took place from August 7 to October 2 1943.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankThe opening ceremony was attended by German Defense Minister Thomas de Mazière (pictured) and Commander-in-chief of Russian Ground Forces Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin.
“My deepest thanks for having invited me here today as we open the last German war cemetery,” de Mazière said earlier at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. “We want the younger generation to know that there is such a thing as reconciliation over graves.”
“My deepest thanks for having invited me here today as we open the last German war cemetery,” de Mazière said earlier at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. “We want the younger generation to know that there is such a thing as reconciliation over graves.”
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/97/182589727_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_2ac6110aa5da471116cab62fc73138e2.jpg)
The opening ceremony was attended by German Defense Minister Thomas de Mazière (pictured) and Commander-in-chief of Russian Ground Forces Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin.
“My deepest thanks for having invited me here today as we open the last German war cemetery,” de Mazière said earlier at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. “We want the younger generation to know that there is such a thing as reconciliation over graves.”
“My deepest thanks for having invited me here today as we open the last German war cemetery,” de Mazière said earlier at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. “We want the younger generation to know that there is such a thing as reconciliation over graves.”
© RIA Novosti . Valery MelnikovSeven German divisions were destroyed in the Smolensk operation, and 14 suffered heavy losses.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/97/182589741_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_87c27d44eb192721c414448188b925b1.jpg)
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© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov
Seven German divisions were destroyed in the Smolensk operation, and 14 suffered heavy losses.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankThe first German war cemetery was opened in the village of Nizhnyaya Dubrovka, also in the Smolensk Region, in 2003.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/97/182589756_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_48f449bfa7c1e5ef2f0bf880e09b5a81.jpg)
The first German war cemetery was opened in the village of Nizhnyaya Dubrovka, also in the Smolensk Region, in 2003.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov“In 20th century our bilateral relations underwent the harshest trials possible,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at the meeting with his German counterpart Thomas de Mazière. “This should serve to warn future generations against senseless bloodshed.” Photo : Opening of a Wehrmacht war cemetery in the Smolensk Region.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/97/182589772_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_d38378111893cef9a852f14969dbec56.jpg)
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© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov
“In 20th century our bilateral relations underwent the harshest trials possible,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at the meeting with his German counterpart Thomas de Mazière. “This should serve to warn future generations against senseless bloodshed.” Photo : Opening of a Wehrmacht war cemetery in the Smolensk Region.
© RIA Novosti . Valery MelnikovA relative of a fallen German soldier at the Wehrmacht war cemetery
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/97/182589786_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_f9bb45096c617abe64f3b3ab87e70f60.jpg)
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© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov
A relative of a fallen German soldier at the Wehrmacht war cemetery
© RIA Novosti . Valery MelnikovOpening of a Wehrmacht war cemetery in the Smolensk Region.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/98/182589800_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_34bb55b0c2e8595baa9d913eb998c897.jpg)
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© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov
Opening of a Wehrmacht war cemetery in the Smolensk Region.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankA relative of a fallen German soldier at the Wehrmacht war cemetery near the town of Dukhovshchina, Smolensk Region.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/98/182589814_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_53d61988cc781ef09c0c42ab8c9654c8.jpg)
A relative of a fallen German soldier at the Wehrmacht war cemetery near the town of Dukhovshchina, Smolensk Region.
© RIA Novosti . Valery MelnikovOpening of the German war cemetery in the Smolensk Region.
![Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region Cemetery for Wermacht Soldiers Opens in Smolensk Region - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18258/98/182589828_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_c24ecb601403fcd1d219c7dfd21367aa.jpg)
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© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov
Opening of the German war cemetery in the Smolensk Region.