Czech Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl urges healing of Czech‑German ties at Ústí massacre remembrance

On the 81st anniversary of the 31 July 1945 explosion of a munitions depot in Krásné Březno, Ústí nad Labem, a commemorative ceremony was held to remember the blast that killed 27 people and the subsequent massacre of dozens of German civilians. The event was led by Prague Archbishop and Litoměřice diocese administrator Stanislav Přibyl and attended by local officials, the German ambassador Peter Reuss, representatives of German associations and surviving witnesses.

Archbishop Přibyl said, “Our task is not to point fingers but to heal relations,” urging a reconciliation of Czech‑German relations. He highlighted the importance of remembering the victims and the value of every human life, calling for mutual respect and understanding. The exact cause of the 1945 explosion and the later killings remains unresolved.