Germans voice shock at Kaczynski death - Summary

Berlin - Germans, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, voiced shock and sympathy Saturday at the death of President Lech Kaczynski and other senior Polish officials in the Smolensk plane crash.

"This is a political and human tragedy for Poland our neighbor," Merkel told reporters at her Berlin office. She said she had been shocked and lost for words when she first heard of the crash.

Describing Kaczynski as a "combative European" who had loved his country, she said, "We in Germany will miss him too."

Merkel said her own special memory of Kaczynski was that he had invited her to attend Polish national day celebrations on November 11, 2008. "That was a very special gesture to Germany as neighbor."

She sent a message to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying, "All Germany stands at Poland's side in sympathy and solidarity at this tragic moment."

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who was visiting South Africa, also voiced shock at the deaths in Smolensk. He described Kaczynski and the other senior officials as people that the European Union had counted on.

Westerwelle said he was personally upset, as had got to know Kaczynski as an extremely wise and lively person with whom to talk.

"Poland has suffered a dreadful loss," said German President Horst Koehler said, adding that Kaczynski had spent his life fighting for a free Poland. He said Kaczynski and his wife had been friends of the Koehlers.

Germany's main political parties and many community leaders promptly issued statements of sympathy as news of the crash spread through Germany by radio and television.

The news especially shocked Germany's large Polish immigrant community. Eight Polish handball players employed with German clubs wore black armbands during matches at a tournament in Hamburg's Color Line Arena.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/317999,germans-voice-shock-at-kaczynski-death--summary.html.