Buchenwald Anniversary Marked by Memory and Protest

Germany marked the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp on Thursday. The ceremony remembered the more than 56,000 people killed at the site. Buchenwald was one of the largest Nazi camps on German soil. Prisoners included Jews, political opponents, and other targeted groups. United States troops liberated the camp on April 11, 1945. The commemoration included speeches from survivors and politicians. They warned about the dangers of rising far-right extremism in modern Germany. Outside the ceremony, protesters demonstrated. They objected to the invitation of a far-right political party to the event. The party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), has members who have questioned Germany's culture of remembrance for Nazi crimes. Organizers said all democratic parties were invited. They stated the invitation was a duty, not an endorsement of the party's views.