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INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
Every year, the 27th January is set aside in many countries around the world to remember the victims of the Holocaust. We felt inspired to dedicate this quarter’s magazine to the Holocaust Survivors we work with and to highlight the dedication of those working to bring love and joy to these precious ones in their final years. Every act of kindness brings a little light and hope in the darkness.
One of the initiatives of the UK Holocaust Memorial Day is to encourage people to place a candle in their window to represent light in the darkness.
Each year people take part in this national moment for Holocaust Memorial Day.
At 8pm on 27 January people across the nation will light candles and put them safely in their windows to:
Remember those who were murdered for who they were
Stand against prejudice and hatred today
Iconic buildings and landmarks will light up in purple during this powerful national moment of commemoration and solidarity.
For Holocaust Memorial Day 2023, Piccadilly Circus projected portraits of Holocaust and genocide survivors on the huge screens in the lead up to the national moment, and the screen lit up with a commemorative candle. A group of survivors watched from the ground and held candles in a powerful moment of unity.
How to take part?
Place a candle safely in your window at 8pm on 27 January.
Become part of the conversation about Light the Darkness online by sharing a photo of your candle on social media. Use the hashtags #HolocaustMemorialDay and #LightTheDarkness.
Learn more about the Holocaust. There is lots of info on the HMD Trust and Holocaust Educational Trust websites hmd.org.uk and het.org.uk
Join us in supporting Holocaust Survivors living in Israel today. Donate here:
What was the Holocaust?
From The Holocaust Educational Trust:
“The Holocaust was the murder of approximately six million Jewish men, women and children by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Second World War. The Holocaust is often referred to as the Shoah, the Hebrew word for catastrophe.
“Antisemitism (hostility to or prejudice specifically against Jewish people) has existed for centuries and can be traced as far back as Biblical times. When the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, they began transforming their antisemitic ideology into dangerous antisemitism legislation. Jews were stripped of their jobs, their possessions, and their citizenship; simply for being Jewish. They were soon forced from their homes and placed in ghettos across Europe. Millions of Jewish people were murdered in purpose built death camps, forests and ravines. They were exposed to horrendous living conditions in concentration camps, where many died as a result of starvation and disease.
“When we talk about the mass murder of European Jews, we are not only referring to the loss of millions of lives, but also the disappearance of cultures, communities, languages and traditions. The Holocaust was the most radical escalation and violent expression of antisemitism – hatred or prejudice against Jewish people.
“Whilst the term Holocaust refers specifically to the genocide of European Jewry, other groups deemed racially and socially inferior experienced horrific and violent persecution by the Nazis, including Roma and Sinti people, Soviet civilians and prisoners of war, Polish citizens, Black people, people with disabilities, political opponents of the Nazis, Gay men, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, it is important to note that only Jews were targeted for complete eradication on a continental scale. It is important that we recognise the suffering of each victim group in their own terms to properly preserve their memory and understand their history.”
Trigger warning: some viewers may find some of the following photos distressing
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