Memory day for the Holocaust: Mainz is reminiscent of the liberation of Auschwitz!

Memory day for the Holocaust: Mainz is reminiscent of the liberation of Auschwitz!

On January 27, 2025, the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp by Russian troops marks the 80th time. On this occasion, a central memorial event of the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament will take place at 11:00 a.m. in the new synagogue Mainz. In addition to the President of the Landtag Hendrik Hering, Prime Minister Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) and 104-year-old Holocaust survivor Nicolaus Blätermann also take part in this event. This meeting is part of a Germany-wide commemoration of the victims of National Socialism, which is accompanied by a live broadcast on SWRAKTUL.de and in the SWR from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Further events in Rhineland-Palatinate and also in Baden-Württemberg are planned for this day to remember the murderous acts of the Nazi regime.

The memorial event in Mainz is not only a tribute to the millions of victims, but also reflects the continued examination of history. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who will lead a commemoration in the Bundestag on January 29, 2025, emphasizes the importance of remembering and warns of the risk of forgetting in times when anti-Semitism and racism increase again. As part of the Bundestag event, among others. Holocaust-surviving Roman Schwarzman and Bundestag president Bärbel Bas have their say.

importance of commemoration

January 27 not only reminds of the liberation of Auschwitz, but also symbolizes the systematic murder of over six million European Jews by the Nazi regime. The Holocaust is still a central topic of the social debate, as a current survey by the Jewish Claims Conference shows: Around 40 % of young Germans surveyed do not know that the Holocaust has taken place. These terrifying numbers illustrate the need for educational and educational programs that should be more integrated in schools and public institutions. Federal President Steinmeier urges this and emphasizes that the memory must be kept awake to sensitize future generations and to develop an understanding of the dimension of the cruelty at that time.

historical events play a crucial role in the collective memory. 88 years ago, on January 30, 1933, the NSDAP came to power, which led to the construction of the first concentration camp. The decided murder of the European Jews, better known as the "final solution of the Jewish question", began in 1941 and led to an unprecedented level of suffering and annihilation. Auschwitz became the symbol of this systematic genocide. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) was founded in 1998 to promote memory work and the exchange via the Holocaust worldwide.

commemoration in society

In recent years, the increase in anti -Semitic violence has also been a worrying topic. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, has repeatedly pointed out that misinformations have contributed to this increase via the Holocaust. The Jewish publicist Monty Ott demands more intensive information about these topics in order to actively counter racism and anti -Semitism. The memorial days and events are not only an opportunity to remember, but also an invitation to actively deal with your own history and to draw teaching for the future.