Germany seems to have gotten into stalgia and remorse as Europe marked  80th-anniversary ceremony on September 1 in Poland with many leers expressing sness and standing with one ar on a solemn day reflecting back on time with Polish veterans. Germany’s president expressed deep remorse for suffering his nation inflicted on Poland and rest of Europe during World War II, warning of dangers of nationalism as world leers gared Sunday in country where war started at incalculable costs.

RE: Donald Trump Canceling Poland Trip Is A Blow For Ruling Populists

“This war was a German crime”

“This war was a German crime,” President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Poland’s top leers, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and or world leers at 80th-anniversary ceremony marking World’s War II’s outbreak. Also in attendance were elderly Polish war veterans wearing military uniforms and a Holocaust survivor wearing a yellow Star of David and striped clos that prisoners wore at Nazi German death camps. Steinmeier expressed his sorrow over mass killings olf Hitler’s regime committed in Poland, which paid a huge price for being place war began on Sept. 1, 1939. German president expressed gratitude to Poles for gestures of forgiveness Poland has bestowed in return.

“I bow in mourning to suffering of victims,” Steinmeier said. “I ask for forgiveness for Germany’s historical debt. I affirm our lasting responsibility.” Two weeks after German invasion, Soviet army inved Poland from east, putting country under a dual occupation that came with atrocities committed by two invers. By war’s end nearly six years later, about 6 million Polish citizens h been killed, more than half of m Jews.

Polish President Andrzej Duda recalled Poland’s immense suffering and he appealed to those assembled t to close ir eyes w to imperial tendencies and border changes imposed through force. Duda cited aggression against Georgia and Ukraine, and though he didn’t name Russia, it was clear he found that country at fault as aggressor. “Recently in Europe, we are dealing with a return of imperialist tendencies, with attempts to change borders by force, with aggression against countries,” Duda said. “Turning a blind eye is t recipe for preserving peace. It is a simple way to embolden aggressive personalities, a simple way to, in fact, give consent to furr attacks.”

Germany’s president h a modern-day warning of his own — about dangers of nationalism — and described European unity as a guarantee for peace in future. In Wielun, Steinmeier also voiced remorse, which Duda said provided “moral satisfaction.” He dressed his German counterpart. “Mr. President, thank you for your presence and your attitude,” Duda said. “I can see a man who has come with humility, a bowed he in order to pay hom ... to share pain.” Minutes later, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Frans Timmermans, a top European Union official, led an event on Westerplatte Peninsula, Baltic Coast site where Polish troops put up resistance to fight war’s first battle.

“Eighty years ago, unspeakable horrors were unleashed on Polish population, unspeakable horrors that we need to remember to prevent m from recurring in Europe,” said Timmermans, first vice president of European Commission. “Can you imagine in this garing that every fifth person sitting and standing here would suddenly disappear? This is what happened to Polish nation at hands of cruel Nazis who lost every understanding of humanity.”

RE: Donald Trump Anunces Command, Calls It 'landmark Day'

Russia t invited

Polish authorities didn’t invite Russian President Vlimir Putin to attend anniversary events because of Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine. Russia’s recent rehabilitation of Stalinist era and a pact Soviet leer Josef Stalin me with Hitler that led to Poland’s dismemberment in 1939, were apparently also behind decisions t to invite Putin. That represented a change from 10 years ago when Putin was invited amid attempts to thaw relations between West and Russia at time.

With Putin t on guest list, Russia’s Foreign Ministry tried to make sure Soviet Union’s role in ending war got ackwledged. It tweeted: “One may have varying opinions on Soviet policy during initial period of World War II, but it is impossible to deny fact that it was Soviet Union that routed Nazism, liberated Europe and saved European democracy.” President Donald Trump h originally been scheduled to attend but canceled as Hurricane Dorian barreled toward U.S. That removed opportunity for potential comments about his go-it-alone “America First” approach to foreign policy, which has rattled allies in Europe.

RE: "Melania Trump Didn't Meet Kim," Says White House, After Trump's Claims

Polish people “never lost hope”: Mike Pence

“While hearts of every American are with our fellow citizens in path of a massive storm, today we remember how garing storm of 20th century broke into warfare and invasion followed by unspeakable hardship and heroism of Polish people,” he said. Pence said Polish people “never lost hope” and “never gave in to despair.” “character, faith, and determination of Polish people me all difference,” Pence said. “Your oppressors tried to break you, but Poland could t be broken.”

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: “80 years after invasion of Poland by Nazi army, let us remember eruption of second world conflict, which ravd our Europe. May we be more committed than ever to fight for peace and our values.” During observances in Warsaw, church bells tolled across a capital that German forces razed to ground deces ago. Polish and foreign leers laid wreaths, and one by one rang a bell in memory. observances started at 4:40 a.m. at sites of first German attacks — Wielun, a defenseless town, and minutes later on Westerplatte Peninsula in Gdansk.

RE: Justin Trudeau's & Melania Trump's G7 Im Triggers Childish Giggles