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311004
TR123-01
April 23, 1985
Dear Mr. Zeeman:
I'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter of
March 30. I've been away, as you know, so it wasn't
brought to my attention until a few days ago.
Believe me, I can understand your feeling of outrage and,
yes, that of Mr. Rosensaft, but I would like to point out
that the presentation of this episode in the media has been
grossly distorted. Let me put the matter in proper
perspective.
I will be in West Germany at the end of this month, as a
guest of the German government, as we commomorate the
40th Anniversary of the end of World War II. Chancellor
Helmut Kohl approached me some time ago 88 to what might
be a proper observance of that event. I expressed the
opinion that it was time for the world to view the day as
one of gratitude that we have achieved friendship between
former enemies, and forty years of peace. Of the seven
nations represented at the Economic Summit, three were
enemies of the other four in World War II. Now we meet
annually as Allies.
Some time later, Chancellor Kohl asked me to be a guest of
his government for a state visit following the Summit. He
outlined a schedule which included our joint visit to the
Bitburg Cemetery on our way to 8 visit with our American
troops. Although the idea of a visit to Dachau had been
raised, I had the impression that the German government
preferred that I not visit that camp. I felt that for me to
do this on my own while 8 guest of the German government
would be taken as an affront to the people of Germany,
and would be at odds with the spirit of reconciliation the
Chancellor was trying to achieve. 1 am afraid I did not
explain this very well when the question was asked in the
press conference.
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"ocrText": "311004\nTR123-01\nApril 23, 1985\nDear Mr. Zeeman:\nI'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter of\nMarch 30. I've been away, as you know, so it wasn't\nbrought to my attention until a few days ago.\nBelieve me, I can understand your feeling of outrage and,\nyes, that of Mr. Rosensaft, but I would like to point out\nthat the presentation of this episode in the media has been\ngrossly distorted. Let me put the matter in proper\nperspective.\nI will be in West Germany at the end of this month, as a\nguest of the German government, as we commomorate the\n40th Anniversary of the end of World War II. Chancellor\nHelmut Kohl approached me some time ago 88 to what might\nbe a proper observance of that event. I expressed the\nopinion that it was time for the world to view the day as\none of gratitude that we have achieved friendship between\nformer enemies, and forty years of peace. Of the seven\nnations represented at the Economic Summit, three were\nenemies of the other four in World War II. Now we meet\nannually as Allies.\nSome time later, Chancellor Kohl asked me to be a guest of\nhis government for a state visit following the Summit. He\noutlined a schedule which included our joint visit to the\nBitburg Cemetery on our way to 8 visit with our American\ntroops. Although the idea of a visit to Dachau had been\nraised, I had the impression that the German government\npreferred that I not visit that camp. I felt that for me to\ndo this on my own while 8 guest of the German government\nwould be taken as an affront to the people of Germany,\nand would be at odds with the spirit of reconciliation the\nChancellor was trying to achieve. 1 am afraid I did not\nexplain this very well when the question was asked in the\npress conference."
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