Memorial Plans Labelled 'Tasteless'

• Tweet

Politicians in Dresden are calling a planned memorial to RAF aircrews who helped bomb Germany in the second world war "utterly tasteless".

A special service has been held in St Paul's Cathedral to mark the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the German Blitz bombings of London on September 7 1940.

The four-million-pound statue, intended for Green Park, would remember the 55,000 members of Bomber Command who helped to retaliate in 1945.

But the offensive saw 25,000 victims in Dresden and its Mayor, Helma Orosz, told LBC that its' construction would be unwelcome: "From the point of view of the Dresdeners, the plan of this memorial would be a step backwards. But on the other side we also have to admit that the culture of remembrance is different in different countries and the point of view is different and we have to accept this."

Speaking to LBC's Jeni Barnett the musician Robin Gibb, who is a strong supporter of the memorial, disagreed with the claim that it is not part of the culture of reconciliation: "These were brave men, and they were young men, much like those men that are in Afghanistan and Iraq now. Civilisation was on the line, they were between the ages of 18 and 22 and they sacrificed their lives. The memorial is an honour for sacrifice not for war and is not a spur against the German people."

He says it is important we remember those who were a part of Bomber Command: "They created a free world for people like us, who were not alive at the time, to thrive in. They saved millions of people's lives who weren't even born and were able to live in freedom for 65 years. [It created] a democracy, including the German people - who wouldn't be parted from the democracy and freedom they are enjoying today - and they are a great people the German people, I love them, I spent a lot of my adult life in Germany and they - even the older Germans - did not want a war. It was a regime. It was a dictatorship and we were there to end it."

You can find out more about the memorial appeal here