Czech Prime Minister: Terezín is a memento of the extremities of which civilized Europe is capable

Speaking at an annual memorial ceremony on the site of the former Terezín concentration camp in central Bohemia on Sunday, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said the Nazi concentration camp was a memento of the extremities of which the civilized world was capable under the influence of nationalism, racism and xenophobia. He warned against turning a blind eye to these tendencies in present-day Europe and said politicians must be wary of the conditions in which extremism flourishes. The ceremony at Terezín was traditionally attended by politicians, church dignitaries, war veterans and members of the public. Around 155,000 Jews were interned at Terezín during the war years; two-thirds of them did not survive the war.