标签： Europe

A controversial auction in Germany, which included artefacts from Nazi concentration camps such as Buchenwald and Auschwitz, has been cancelled following widespread public condemnation. The decision was announced by Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, who expressed gratitude to his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, for ensuring that ‘such a scandal must be prevented.’ The auction, organized by German auction house Felzmann in Neuss, was set to feature over 600 items, including a letter from an Auschwitz prisoner and medical records detailing the forced sterilisation of a Dachau prisoner. The sale faced immediate backlash from Holocaust survivors’ groups and politicians, who argued that such items should not be commodified. Sikorski emphasized on social media that ‘respect for victims requires the dignity of silence, not the din of commerce.’ By Sunday afternoon, the auction listing had been removed from Felzmann’s website. German State Minister for Culture Wolfram Weimer stated that documents and expert reports by Nazi perpetrators should not be part of private collections and called for measures to prevent similar auctions in the future. Christoph Heubner of the International Auschwitz Committee condemned the auction as ‘cynical and shameless,’ urging that these artefacts belong to the families of the victims and should be displayed in museums or memorial exhibitions. Poland’s Culture Minister, Marta Cienkowska, announced an investigation into the provenance of the artefacts to determine if any should be repatriated to Poland. Auschwitz, a central site in the Nazi campaign to exterminate Europe’s Jewish population, saw nearly one million Jewish deaths, alongside Poles, Roma, and Russian prisoners of war.

The extensive search for a missing Royal Navy crew member off the north-west coast of the Republic of Ireland has been called off, with the individual remaining unlocated, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed. The crew member, part of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Tidesurge, was last seen around 22:30 local time on Friday. The search operation, which spanned the waters between Tory Island in County Donegal and Eagle Island in County Mayo, involved multiple agencies and resources. Defence Secretary John Healey expressed his profound sorrow over the outcome, stating, ‘After an extensive search, it is with deep sadness that we confirm the missing crew member of RFA Tidesurge has not been found. My thoughts are with their family during this tragic time, as well as their fellow crew members.’ He also extended his gratitude to the Irish authorities, the RNLI, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy for their swift and relentless efforts in the search. The Irish Coast Guard received a distress call from a Royal Navy support vessel before 09:00 on Saturday, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation. The search involved aerial support from the Coast Guard’s fixed-wing plane Rescue 120F, based in Shannon airport; Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118, based in Sligo; and the Irish Air Corps plane, CASA 284. At sea, the search was coordinated by the UK naval support vessel and three RNLI all-weather lifeboats based at Ballyglass, Arranmore Island, and Lough Swilly. The family of the missing crew member has been informed, and an investigation into the incident is now underway. No other individuals were reported harmed or missing during the operation.

A prominent Holocaust survivors’ organization has issued a strong appeal to a German auction house to halt the sale of hundreds of artifacts tied to the Holocaust. The International Auschwitz Committee, based in Berlin, described the planned auction as “cynical and shameless,” urging its immediate cancellation. The event, titled “The System of Terror,” was scheduled for Monday by the Felzmann auction house in Neuss, near Düsseldorf. The collection, comprising over 600 items, included deeply personal artifacts such as letters penned by concentration camp prisoners to their families, Gestapo index cards, and other documents that explicitly identify individuals by name. Christoph Heubner, executive vice president of the committee, condemned the auction, stating that it exploits the suffering of Holocaust victims for profit. He emphasized that such artifacts should be preserved in museums or memorials rather than being commodified. The committee called on the auction house to demonstrate basic decency by canceling the sale. By Sunday afternoon, the auction listing had been removed from the Felzmann website, though the house had not yet responded to inquiries.

In a charming annual tradition, the streets of Nuremberg, Germany, were transformed into a pastoral scene on Sunday as hundreds of sheep paraded through the city center. The flock, led by shepherd Thomas Gackstatter, comprised approximately 600 sheep, drawing curious onlookers who eagerly captured the spectacle on their cellphones. The event marks the sheep’s journey from their summer grazing grounds in Nuremberg’s meadows to their winter pastures located west of the city. The 10-kilometer (6-mile) route took the flock through the iconic Hauptmarkt, the central market square, making Nuremberg the only known German city where sheep traverse such a prominent urban space. City authorities ensured a smooth passage by urging residents to keep the route clear and keep dogs away. Drones were also prohibited during the event. This practice of using sheep as natural lawnmowers is not unique to Nuremberg; cities like Berlin, Potsdam, and Augsburg also employ sheep for eco-friendly grass maintenance. The slow grazing process supports biodiversity by creating insect-friendly environments and reduces municipal mowing costs. For shepherds like Gackstatter, this arrangement provides a valuable solution to the scarcity of open grazing spaces.

A tragic road traffic accident in County Louth, Republic of Ireland, has resulted in multiple fatalities, with an unconfirmed number of deaths reported. The incident occurred on Saturday evening shortly after 21:00 local time on the L3168 Ardee Road in the townland of Gibstown, Dundalk. According to Gardaí (Irish police), the collision involved two vehicles, and the scene remains active with both vehicles and the bodies of the deceased still present. Emergency services transported several injured individuals to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for treatment. The road between the N52 and R171 remains closed as Garda Forensic Collision Investigators conduct a technical examination. Local traffic diversions have been implemented to manage the situation. Authorities are urging anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward and assist with the investigation.