Richard von Weizsäcker at the Wailing Wall (1985) On May 8, 1985, Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker delivered a historic speech on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II. He called May 8th a day of both defeat and liberation. This contradictory statement was supposed honor the memory of all victims of war and tyranny and at the same time also emphasize the singularity of the Holocaust. On October 8, 1985, Weizsäcker began his state visit to Israel, where his speech had been received positively. His first stop was the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial; on October 9, he visited the holy sites as well as Jerusalem’s Old Town. This picture shows Weizsäcker at the Wailing Wall.