Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz Birkenau,the largest Nazi death camp in occupied Poland. when the true scale of what became known as the Holocaust, was first recognised. More than one million lives were systematically murdered in the gas chambers and other methods at Auschwitz alone. This year is not only a significant milestone but is made particularly poignant by the dwindling number of survivors who are able to share their testimony.
The day aims to remind people of the crimes and loss of life and encourage remembrance in a world scarred by genocide and prevent it ever being forgotten. Alongside the 6 million jewish people who were murdered in the genocide in Europe leading up to 1945, the Nazis also targetted and persecuted many other groups, other victims encompassed trade unionists, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transpeople, (LGBT) black people, disabled people, the mentally ill, political opponents and 250,000 to 500,000 Roma and Sinti people, (between 25 and 50 percent of this minority;s entire population in Europe at the time,) who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during the second world war,
The theme for HMD 2020 is Stand Together. It explores how genocidal regimes throughout history have deliberately fractured societies by marginalising certain groups, and how these tactics can be challenged by individuals standing together with their neighbours, and speaking out against oppression and all forms of racism and discrimination. The Holocaust is not just a Jewish tragedy, but it is a lesson to all of us of all faiths in all times and a continuing reminder to stand with “others” when their rights and freedoms face attack.
In the years leading up to the Holocaust, Nazi policies and
propaganda deliberately encouraged divisions within German society –
urging ‘Aryan’ Germans to keep themselves separate from their Jewish
neighbours. The Holocaust, Nazi Persecution of other groups and each
subsequent genocide, was enabled by ordinary citizens not standing with
their targeted neighbours.
Let 's not forget that the Holocaust did not appear out of thin air, it was built on hatred for "the other," politically weaponized by those seeking ever more power. As politicians today say never again, some are walking doen that same path. Today there are still those that are stoking up increasing division in communities across the UK and the world, antisemitism, racism and Islamophobia are on the.rise again. We must oppose attempts to divide us along the lines of race, religion or ethnicity.
Far right and fascist forces are growing. Many o them deny the horrors of the Holocaust. and are whipping up racist scapegoating. In Britain, we have also seen the systematic demonisation of migrants and Muslims, and a rise in hate crime, including increased incidences of antisemitic attacks in our communities.. Now more than ever, we need to stand together with others in our communities in order to stop division and the spread of identity-based hostility in our society.
Somehow human beings around the world are capable of so much hate, we should work together to prevent this. Remember those who have resisted, shown bravery and courage.Remember the victims of the Holocaust. We should remember them all. Sadly we seem to forget from past pain and experience. There is still so much to learn, we should stand united against genocide wherever it occurs. We should never forget where hatred and bigotry can lead. There can never be anytime for passivity, and we must stand strong against the dark forces of intolerance, bigotry, racism and division that create them. .HMD also marks the 25th anniversary of the Genocide in Bosnia.
It is important that we do not forget, but if we look at history this is not the only time that genocide has occurred, and history repeats. Humanity continues to turn against itself.Yesterday for instance was Australia day or for many others Invasion Day, when people remembered the terrible wrongs and crimes against the aboriginal people, then there is Colombus Day on the 8th of October, you see the list is endless.
Here is a list of some other places and people that the world sometimes forgets.
Cambodia,
Darfur,
Siebrenica,
Karabakh,
Liberia,
Sudan,
Holodonor,
Armenia,
the ethnic cleansing of indigeneous Palestinians,
The Indigeneous Peoples of America,
Checknya,
Congo,
India
and the genocide of slavery
and on and on and on.
However we mark Holocaust Memorial Day, it is important to use the day to sharpen our awareness and understanding of extremism and the deadly violence it can licence. It is an opportunity to consider how hatred and intolerance of others has taken many forms and a reminder of the need to stand together in confronting the origins and workings of wickedness, to exercise vigilance and to prevent atrocities from happening again in the future and should strive to work for equality , peace and justice for the whole of mankind.
Sadly there will always be individuals, organisations and regimes who want to exploit differences for their own ends and we must have the courage to speak out where we see this happening. In a world which is increasingly fractured, where we have some leaders that are more interested in promoting division than harmony, it is vital we remember that there is far more that unites than divides the human race, to prevent a repeat of the horrors of the past
First They Came - Pastor Martin Niemoller
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the Trade Unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade Unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left To speak out for me.
Read more about Holocaust Memorial Day
Let 's not forget that the Holocaust did not appear out of thin air, it was built on hatred for "the other," politically weaponized by those seeking ever more power. As politicians today say never again, some are walking doen that same path. Today there are still those that are stoking up increasing division in communities across the UK and the world, antisemitism, racism and Islamophobia are on the.rise again. We must oppose attempts to divide us along the lines of race, religion or ethnicity.
Far right and fascist forces are growing. Many o them deny the horrors of the Holocaust. and are whipping up racist scapegoating. In Britain, we have also seen the systematic demonisation of migrants and Muslims, and a rise in hate crime, including increased incidences of antisemitic attacks in our communities.. Now more than ever, we need to stand together with others in our communities in order to stop division and the spread of identity-based hostility in our society.
Somehow human beings around the world are capable of so much hate, we should work together to prevent this. Remember those who have resisted, shown bravery and courage.Remember the victims of the Holocaust. We should remember them all. Sadly we seem to forget from past pain and experience. There is still so much to learn, we should stand united against genocide wherever it occurs. We should never forget where hatred and bigotry can lead. There can never be anytime for passivity, and we must stand strong against the dark forces of intolerance, bigotry, racism and division that create them. .HMD also marks the 25th anniversary of the Genocide in Bosnia.
It is important that we do not forget, but if we look at history this is not the only time that genocide has occurred, and history repeats. Humanity continues to turn against itself.Yesterday for instance was Australia day or for many others Invasion Day, when people remembered the terrible wrongs and crimes against the aboriginal people, then there is Colombus Day on the 8th of October, you see the list is endless.
Here is a list of some other places and people that the world sometimes forgets.
Cambodia,
Darfur,
Siebrenica,
Karabakh,
Liberia,
Sudan,
Holodonor,
Armenia,
the ethnic cleansing of indigeneous Palestinians,
The Indigeneous Peoples of America,
Checknya,
Congo,
India
and the genocide of slavery
and on and on and on.
However we mark Holocaust Memorial Day, it is important to use the day to sharpen our awareness and understanding of extremism and the deadly violence it can licence. It is an opportunity to consider how hatred and intolerance of others has taken many forms and a reminder of the need to stand together in confronting the origins and workings of wickedness, to exercise vigilance and to prevent atrocities from happening again in the future and should strive to work for equality , peace and justice for the whole of mankind.
Sadly there will always be individuals, organisations and regimes who want to exploit differences for their own ends and we must have the courage to speak out where we see this happening. In a world which is increasingly fractured, where we have some leaders that are more interested in promoting division than harmony, it is vital we remember that there is far more that unites than divides the human race, to prevent a repeat of the horrors of the past
First They Came - Pastor Martin Niemoller
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the Trade Unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade Unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left To speak out for me.
Read more about Holocaust Memorial Day
No comments:
Post a Comment