German World-Cup winning footballer Per Mertesacker has revealed that a visit to Auschwitz as a teenager was one of the most memorable moments of his life. "Me and my schoolmates hugged each other for the first time in our lives. The Holocaust was something we never want to happen again, so it was good to go there," he said.

The Arsenal vice-captain said Germans had a responsibility to show they had learned from the events of the Nazi era. "We have to show we're going to teach our kids that this was wrong and change our way of doing things. This is why my generation is much more tolerant and open-minded."

Mr Mertesacker was speaking St John's Wood United Synagogue this week at a fund-rasing event for US Futures, which encourages Jewish pride in younger generations.

He recalled being invited to Shabbat dinner by his Jewish neighbours when first arriving in London. "My wife and me went and from the start it was a warm welcome. We came to a special singing part and stood up, and it was totally new and a bit awkward, but it was really nice to be there. We really enjoyed the food."