Merkel will begin the visit by walking through the camp's infamous gate, which bears the chilling Nazi message "Arbeit macht frei" (Work will set you free). Merkel will also give a speech during the visit, as well as laying a wreath at the nearby Birkenau camp. 'Do something'Merkel has called the Holocaust a "break with civilization" and has voiced concern about the rise of anti-Semitism and the far-right in Germany. READ ALSO: 'It doesn't change my feeling about Germany': Jewish community fearful but defiant after Halle attackAngela Merkel speaking during an Auschwitz memorial event in Berlin in 2015. The timing of the visit is also significant because of questions over Merkel's political future as tensions persist within the governing coalition.

Source: The Local December 03, 2019 08:03 UTC