Looking back. Looking ahead. 2020-2025

162   SPEECHES | POLITICS AND SOCIETY Politics and Society – with all the strengths and weaknesses that any democracy has. That is why, as Minister-President of Bavaria, I say:We stand with the state of Israel! And that is why we are taking a firm stand against antisemitic crimes. Not only have we appointed Dr Ludwig Spaenle as the Bavarian State Government’s Commissioner for Jewish Life, the Fight against Antisemitism, RemembranceWork and Historical Heritage.We have also strengthened our public prosecutor’s offices with a central and three regional antisemitism commis- sioners. All 22 public prosecutor’s offices in Bavaria also have designated points of contact for antisemitism, so that we can respond to threats swiftly and effectively. This vigilance al- lowed us to quickly counter the attack on the Israeli Consulate General. This protection remains firm. We will also further expand remembrance work in our schools. It will be mandatory – not optional – for all our pupils to visit a concentration camp memorial site or another institution of remembrance culture. I know that young people are interested in this. And with the number of contemporary witnesses on the decline, authentic memorial sites and a vibrant culture of remembrance matter more than ever. Education and aware- ness are the strongest forms of prevention. That is why we have introduced a “constitutional quarter-hour” in our second- ary schools. Its purpose is to convey the true meaning behind our constitution and make it clear that its values are not just words on paper, but principles with real significance, grounded in history. It explains why human dignity must be protected, why all people are equal, and why there are no differences between individuals – no matter what they believe, where they come from, how they feel or whom they love. We must keep repeating this again and again. Anyone who stops defending their values will lose them. And let me say one thing: I never want to go down in history as someone who failed to speak out in time.We will stand firm against any form of relativisation.We will stand firm when people are attacked. And in the Free State of Bavaria, we will do everything we can to ensure that our promise of protection becomes reality. Today is a special day, because we are strengthening our cul- ture of remembrance. Flossenbürg is a special place.We need these authentic memorial sites and documentation centres at former concentration camps. That is why we are investing in them. Together with the Federal Government, we are investing more than ever in the continuous improvement of our remem- brance work.We will continue our ongoing projects. Here in Flossenbürg, for example, it was important to place the quarry area under the memorial’s stewardship, so that the inhuman- ity of forced labour could be made strikingly visible. This clear commitment to remembrance work – along with our intention to tighten criminal law in Germany – sends an important mes- sage:We will stand firm! But on a day like today, we must also say “thank you” to our American friends because American soldiers, among others, were the ones who liberated the concentration camps and freed Germany from the shackles of the Nazi dictatorship. And it was the Americans who taught us the democratic lessons that shape our society today. They were the founders of our de- mocracy. The soldiers were horrified by what they found here. One can imagine an enemy – and we know that war brings out the worst in humanity. But this? That is why we say “thank you” to the United States of America. And it is especially per- tinent to express my gratitude here, in the Upper Palatinate, where we have built close ties with American soldiers over many decades through the Grafenwöhr training area.We hope these ties remain strong.We are sometimes puzzled when the idea of freedom that we learned from America is reinterpret- ed. Because whether we speak of NATO or the transatlantic partnership, it has never been a purely military alliance. It has always been an alliance of values. Not everyone in the world shares our values, but we believe it is essential that we work together to uphold and preserve them forever. For us, the indi- vidual – the human being and their dignity – takes precedence over collectivism. Freedom and democracy take precedence over authoritarian systems. That is what we learned from America, and that is what we intend to preserve together. And for that, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to America – and to the American soldiers who have ensured our security and freedom to this day. And a final heartfelt word of thanks goes to the entire team here in Flossenbürg. Dear Prof. Skriebeleit, your personal com- mitment is clear for all to see. You bring the right combination of dedication, expertise and insight – but also the gift of inspir- ing your staff. I can only imagine how demanding that must be when you are confronted with such difficult themes day after day, week after week. You are doing an exceptional job, and   I want to express my deep appreciation to you and your entire team.We fully support your work, including through the   Bavarian Ministry of Education under State Minister Anna Stolz. I would also like to thank Karl Freller, who has served as