A batch of anti-epidemic materials from Nanjing arrived in Berlin, Germany on the afternoon of April 17 before being donated to John Rabe’s grandson and the University Hospital Heidelberg.

The hospital’s doctor Thomas Rabe called for China’s help to combat the COVID-19 outbreak, according to Wu Kai, China's ambassador to Germany, in an interview in early April.

Upon learning of the request, Qin Yinlin, chairman of Jiangsu Carephar Pharmaceutical, helped purchase 600 bottles of medicine from a Shanghai pharmaceutical company. Meanwhile, the Memorial Hall of Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders also assisted to prepare supplies including 620 bottles of medicine, 200 protective suits and 30,000 medical masks.

Since the outbreak has hit hard the air cargo service between China and Germany, the Nanjing Government ’s Foreign Affairs Office has made great efforts to finally help book the charter plane in about ten days.

The supplies will be donated to Thomas Rabe, his family, the city of Heidelberg and the university.

John Rabe, representative of Siemens China Co., in Nanjing, established the International Committee for Nanjing Safety Zone with 20 other foreigners to provide the humanitarian relief to local civilians in 1937.The committee protected the lives of 200,000 refugees in the Nanjing Safety Zone when Japanese invaders committed the Nanjing Massacre.

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