Recalling the horror of Dresden 69 years later

On the night of February 13, 1945, 69 years ago today, the RAF began a four-part bombing of the eastern German city of Dresden and capital of Saxony.

Between February 13 and 15 the RAF and the USAAF dropped more than 3,900 tons of explosives

It is estimated that 25,000 people were killed. But because of large numbers of people fleeing the East, Dresden was crowded and many experts say thousands more were killed in the fire bombing of the city, which began 69 years ago this evening.

Today in Dresden the bombing was recalled by the city's mayor, Helma Orosz, a CDU politician, who said that the bombs that fell on Dresden and other German cities killed perpetrators as well as the innocent. She added that it must never be forgotten that other nations had no alternative but to attack Nazi Germany.

Later in the evening former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder spoke on German television about his personal relationship with Vladimir Putin. 

The former Chancellor was interviewed on ARD by Beckmann. 

Schröder, who is shortly to celebrate his 70th birthday spoke about his time as Chancellor and his new-found delight in being a father of two young children. In the hour-long interview he emphasised how his perspective has changed as a result of bringing two young children to and from school.

He referred to his personal and family links with Russia and reminded his interviewer of the 20 million Russians who had lost their lives at the hands of the Germans in WWll