Dresden braced for neo-Nazis on anniversary of city's destruction

Feb 13, 2012, 16:29 GMT

Dresden, Germany - The eastern German city of Dresden braced itself Monday for neo-Nazi demonstrations on the sidelines of events commemorating the 67th anniversary of the city's World War II bombardment by Allied forces.

Up to 2,000 neo-Nazis were expected to arrive in Dresden late Monday, after the onset of darkness. For years, right-wing groups have used the day to hold rallies in which they deny Germany's responsibility for the atrocities of the war.

On February 13 and 14, 1945, months before the end of the war, British and US bombers launched a huge assault on Dresden, killing an estimated 25,000 and flattening large parts of the city.

Throughout the day, religious and commemorative sermons were held in honour of the many millions who suffered at the hands of Nazi Germany.

Some protesters planned to prevent the neo-Nazi march from reaching the city centre by forming a human chain.

Around 1,000 people followed a 'trail of Nazi perpetrators' through the city, to remind that Dresden had been a Nazi stronghold, and was not blameless for its destruction, as neo-Nazis contend.