Memory in Rhineland-Palatinate: Tens of thousands of democracy and memory!

Memory in Rhineland-Palatinate: Tens of thousands of democracy and memory!

This January 27, 2025, the international day of commemoration to the victims of National Socialism, numerous commemorative events take place in Germany. The day marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp by Soviet troops in 1945. In Rhineland-Palatinate, numerous activities are in the sign of memory and current engagement against right-wing extremism.

In Mainz, around 1,000 people took part in a rally in front of the town hall, in which an AfD campaign event took place. The participants set a strong sign against right -wing extremism and for a democratic society. Also in Neuwied, around 1,500 people demonstrated against the spread of hatred and violence.

memorial lessons and survivors

A central event of the day is the memorial lesson in the state parliament of Rhineland-Palatinate. This takes place in the new synagogue in Mainz and is transmitted live by the SWR. One of the speakers is the 104-year-old Holocaust survivor Nicolaus Blättermann, who was deported to a forced labor camp as a young man from Romania. Blättermann is actively committed to the Jewish life and the memory of the persecuted of the Nazi regime.

In addition, the Bundestag is planning a commemoration for the victims of the Holocaust on January 29, 2025, which Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Bärbel BAS will speak. The Holocaust-surviving Roman Schwarzman will also take part in this memorial event.

survey and current challenges

Current surveys show worrying tendencies in the German society. A survey by the Jewish Claims Conference showed that around 40% of 18 to 29 year olds in Germany do not know that around six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. In addition, two percent of German respondents believe that the Holocaust did not take place. Josef Schuster, the President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, is concerned about the increase in anti -Semitic violence, which is often due to disinformation.

The Jewish publicist Monty Ott also calls for increased education about the topics of anti -Semitism, racism and National Socialism to counteract the forgetting and repetition of history.

democracy in focus

This afternoon the democraticorum "#n! Ewieder" takes place in Mainz. The event is supported by the Rhineland-Palatinate police union and is also characterized by right-wing extremism. The weather forecast for today shows mild temperatures between 8 and 12 degrees after a stormy and rainy night.

In the background of these memorial events and demonstrations, the increase is reminiscent of concrete historical events. From 1940, about 1.1 million people were murdered in Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau. The "final solution of the Jewish question" was decided in 1941 and led to the systematic extinction of Jewish life in Europe. On January 27, 1945, the survivors were freed by the Red Army, which also represents a fundamental lesson for today's society.

The obligation to keep the memory awake and to fight against any form of racism and anti -Semitism remains crucial over time. Memorial events in Rhineland-Palatinate and beyond not only serve to commemorate, but also to ask for active participation in the values ​​of an open society.

This is how [tagesschau.de] reminds of the historical context and calls for active examination of these topics. [SWR.de] also describes the importance of memorial activities and the challenges of today. The need for continuous education about the Holocaust and the persecution must remain a central part of our social engagement.