Looking back. Looking ahead. 2020-2025

POLITICS AND SOCIETY | SPEECHES   175 • In April 2023, the Free State of Bavaria also renewed its agreement with the State Association of Jewish Communi- ties in Bavaria and with the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria.We have pledged a significant increase in state support for preserving German-Jewish cultural heritage and strengthening Jewish community life. • And just a few weeks ago, we renewed our state treaty with the Association of Sinti and Roma in Bavaria – including a substantial increase in financial assistance. • Our Commissioner for the Fight against Antisemitism,   Dr Ludwig Spaenle, works tirelessly for Jewish life and remembrance. • We have also installed an Antisemitism Commissioner for the Bavarian Judiciary at the Public Prosecutor General’s Office in Munich. In Bavaria, investigations into antisemitic crimes are not dropped – they are consistently prosecuted. Ladies and Gentlemen, At a time when the number of contemporary witnesses is steadily fading, it is all the more important that we preserve our memorials as places of vivid and meaningful remem- brance. That is why we are firmly committed to further developing the memorials dedicated to the former Dachau and Flossenbürg concentration camps as part of our overarching concept for remembrance culture. And we are relying on the support of the Federal Government as well, because this is an issue that concerns each and every one of us – and on this we can all agree. We are convinced that every cent invested in commemoration and remembrance is worth it – because remembrance is not just about honouring the past, but also about safeguarding the future. “Heed the warning signs” and “Never again!”must remain the principles that guide all our efforts. Ladies and Gentlemen, “Never again!” is not just an empty phrase. It is a continual call to action – addressed to everyone in politics and society. And so I call upon each and every one of you: Let us all defend our values and work together for a world shaped by democracy, freedom and peace. Let us speak out whenever National Socialism is downplayed or relativised. The Bavarian Memorial Foundation, the Dachau Memorial and the Flossenbürg Memorial have achieved some remarkable things in this area over the past decades. I warmly congratu- late the Foundation on its 20th anniversary and wish it every success for the future! Thank you!