Getty Frans Timmermans condemned nationalism on Day of Remembrance

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Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s first vice-president, and Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jourová, have released a joint statement to mark today’s Europe-wide Day of Remembrance. The day marks the anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed between Germany and the Soviet Union on August 23, 1939, which was the beginning of “one of the darkest periods in the recent history of our continent”, the pair said. German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and his Russian counterpart, Vyacheslav Molotov, signed the “non-aggression” neutrality pact which secretly divided Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Romania into German and Soviet “spheres of influence” which triggered the Second World War. The pact led to the deportation, torture and murder of tens of millions of Europeans under totalitarian regimes.

Despite the Second World War marking the defeat of Hitler’s Nazi regime, many Europeans, especially to the east, continued to suffer for decades under totalitarian regimes. Mr Timmermans and Ms Jourová, said: “We remember the victims of these regimes and we restate our rejection of the ideologies they were built on. “On 23 August 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which marked the beginning of one of the darkest periods in the recent history of our continent. “Totalitarian regimes across Europe restricted people's freedoms; violated their rights and made millions of ordinary citizens victims of their ideology.”

Shocking photographs depict the horrors of the Holocaust Fri, January 27, 2017 Holocaust Memorial Day 2017 marks the liberation of Auschwitz and remembers the Jewish people killed in World War II, as well as the victims and survivors of other genocides. Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 12 The infamous German inscription reads 'Work Makes Free' at the main gate of the Auschwitz I extermination camp.

They urged Europeans today to remember “past horrors to give us the knowledge and strength to reject those who seek to revive these ideologies”. The Dutch and Czech EU chiefs, added: “The European Union was built on the common values of human dignity, fundamental rights, rule of law and democracy, and on the rejection of extreme nationalism. “We must never take these rights and freedoms for granted. We pledge to fight for them every day.”

European leaders this year have repeatedly expressed fears nationalistic forces are weeding their way into several European countries’ mind-sets, including France, Italy, the UK, Hungary and Germany who have all recently had, or are facing, general elections. Mr Timmermans and Ms Jourová, warned: “Extremism, nationalism, xenophobia and hatred can still be heard in public speech in Europe.

Getty The EU's Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jourova, reminded Europeans of the atrocities

Getty Joachim von Ribbentrop and Vyacheslav Molotov signing the pact, with Joseph Stalin behind them