US History 1973 - 2014 Commonplace Book: Lecture 13, Iran-Contra and the End of the Cold War

They were victims just as surely as the victims in the concentration camps.

—Reagan, at a press conference, April 18, 1985 (referring to German soldiers buried in Bitburg)

I am convinced, as you have told us earlier when we spoke that you were not aware of the presence of SS graves in the Bitburg cemetery. Of course, you didn't know. But now we all are aware. May I, Mr. President, if it's possible at all, implore you to do something else, to find a way, to find another way, another site. That place, Mr. President, is not your place. Your place is with the victims of the SS. Oh, we know there are political and strategic reasons, but this issue, as all issues related to that awesome event, transcends politics and diplomacy. The issue here is not politics but good and evil. And we must never confuse them, for I have seen the SS at work, and I have seen their victims.

— Elie Wiesel to Ronald Reagan, upon being given the Congressional Gold Medal, April 19, 1985

Introduction to (and explanation of) this quote series can be found here.  Read this tag to see all of them.