Commemorating 70 years since the outbreak of WWII

On Tuesday, 1 September, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt took part in a ceremony to commemorate the outbreak of the Second World War in Westerplatte in Gdańsk, Poland.

Participants at the memorial ceremony will include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Poland’s President Lech Kaczyński and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt will represent the Swedish Presidency of the European Union. During the day, he will also address the heads of state and government present.

Programme points:
14.30 Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and the other heads of state and government are met by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

15.00 Memorial ceremony begins.

ca. 15.30 Speech by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

18.45 Meeting between Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Place: Westerplatte, Gdańsk.

For media wishing to attend and information on press opportunities, please contact Press Secretary Roberta Alenius.

Presidency Statement on the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II:
Seventy years ago, on 1 September 1939 in Westerplatte in Gdansk World War II began and Poland was invaded. In the years that followed, Europe witnessed the bloodiest war in its history. It saw the loss of millions of lives and immense grief. It saw the destruction of cities and communities. The war turned friends into foes and neighbours into strangers. The world still bears the scars of that war and has not yet faced anything to compare with...