On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, world leaders and survivors gathered to honor the memory of the Holocaust victims and to issue a call against rising discrimination and hatred. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the moral duty to combat anti-Semitism and populism, referencing the '11th Commandment' to 'resist hatred.' Auschwitz remains a stark symbol of the Nazi regime's genocide, where 1.1 million people, predominantly Jews, perished.
The International Auschwitz Committee, established by survivors in 1952, organized a memorial event in Berlin. The ceremony highlighted the need to counteract the resurgence of anti-Semitic sentiments and to uphold diversity as a strength rather than a threat. UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk warned against the growing wave of anti-Semitism, urging solidarity and empathy to triumph over discrimination and dehumanization.
French President Emmanuel Macron attended commemorations, beginning in Paris with Holocaust survivors before participating in events at Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland. Survivors shared their experiences with students, underlining the importance of remembrance in the face of persistent historical revisionism.
Historian Norbert Frei criticized the erosion of Holocaust memory, stressing that commemoration must extend beyond mere remembrance to educate and reinforce critical thinking. Meanwhile, a memorial march from Poland to Germany retraced the path of World War II prisoners of war, underscoring the enduring significance of freedom and unity among nations.
These events serve as a powerful reminder of the atrocities committed and the ongoing responsibility to oppose hatred in all its forms, ensuring that lessons from the past shape a more inclusive future.
