Germany mourns the death of the last Soviet soldier who liberated Auschwitz | News from Germany about Germany | >

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In Germany, they mourn the death of David Dushman, the last surviving fighter of the 227th tank battalion, who participated in the liberation of the prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp. The head of the Jewish community in Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch (Charlotte Knobloch) on Sunday, June 6, wrote on Twitter that it was hard going about the incident.

“It was with great sadness that I learned that David Dushman (peace of mind) – the last surviving liberator of the Auschwitz concentration camp and an honorary member of the Jewish Religious Community of Munich (IKG) – died on Saturday night at the age of 98,” she said.

Knobloch called Dushman a hero who saved “countless lives.” “With his departure, we lost a brave, honest and sincere person and an honorary member of our religious community,” she said.

IOC head expressed condolences to family and friends

In Russia, Dushman is known to many as a Soviet trainer and champion of the USSR in fencing with epee. The head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach expressed deep condolences to the family and friends of the athlete.

Bach met Dushman when he was a foil fencer from the German team. The head of the IOC recalled that David Dushman, despite his participation in World War II, almost immediately offered him his friendship, which greatly moved Bach.

David Dushman died on June 5 in a hospital in Munich, where he moved in 1996 after many years in Austria. During his lifetime, he actively attended schools, where he taught students about the horrors of the Holocaust.

Participated in the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk

During the Second World War, Dushman was a major in the Soviet army. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star, Glory, the Patriotic War and twice the Medal For Courage, as well as the Order of Alexander Nevsky. He took part in the Stalingrad and Kursk battles, was seriously wounded three times. Of the 12,000th division, along with him, only 69 soldiers survived.

Driving a T-34 tank in 1945, 21-year-old Dushman demolished an energized fence in Auschwitz to free the surviving concentration camp prisoners.

In 1951 David Dushman became the champion of the USSR in fencing with epee, later – the coach of the Spartak club. From 1952 to 1988 he coached the women’s fencing team of the Soviet Union.

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