International Holocaust Remembrance Day

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed internationally on January 27, marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and serves as a poignant reminder of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust. Designated by the United Nations General Assembly, this day provides an opportunity for people worldwide to come together, reflect on history and reaffirm a collective commitment to building a future grounded in compassion and tolerance.

Why is International Holocaust Remembrance Day Important?

This day is not just about remembering the past but also about educating the present and future generations. Educational resources play a crucial role in ensuring knowledge about the events leading up to the Holocaust, its causes and its consequences are not forgotten. As participants engage in discussions, reflect on history and absorb the educational resources provided, it is our hope that a shared commitment to a future built on compassion and tolerance emerges. The lessons learned from the Holocaust teach us to combat prejudice and injustice in all its forms. International Holocaust Remembrance Day calls for a collective moment of reflection and encourages the idea that, by coming together as a global community, people can demonstrate unity in the face of bigotry and stand as a testament to the shared values of humanity.

What Happened on January 27, 1945?

On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops entered the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp complex, the largest of such camps established by the regime of Nazi Germany. It was located 37 miles west of Krakow near the prewar German-Polish border. Arriving at the camp, the Soviet troops found more than 7,000 ill or dying prisoners. Days earlier, the SS forced nearly 60,000 prisoners to evacuate and embark on death marches. It is estimated that at a minimum, 1.3 million people were deported to Auschwitz between 1940 and 1945. Historians estimate that at least 1.1 million people were murdered there.

Victims of Persecution During the National Socialist Regime, 1933-1945

During the 1933-45 Nazi regime, in addition to singling out Jews, Nazis targeted for discrimination and persecution anyone they believed threatened their ideas of a 'pure German race.' This included Jews, as well as Roma and Sinti people. People from Slavic ethnic backgrounds, such as those from Poland and Russia, were considered inferior and were targeted because they lived in areas Germans invaded.

Others targeted under the Nazi ideology of racial purity were those considered to make the genetic make-up of the population "inferior;" these other persecuted groups included individuals deemed to be disabled (either physically or mentally), as well as gay people. Political opponents - trade unionists, social democrats and communists - as well as those whose religious beliefs conflicted with Nazi ideology (such as Jehovah's Witnesses) were also targeted for persecution.

The Hall of Names at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Site, remembering some of the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

"No cemeteries, no headstones, no traces were left to mark the loss of the six million Holocaust victims. The Hall of Names at Yad Vashem is a memorial to each Jew murdered in the Holocaust – a place where they are commemorated for generations to come." - Yad Vashem Website

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