Holocaust Memorial Day

January 27, 2021

What is Holocaust Memorial Day?

Holocaust Memorial Day, or International Holocaust Remembrance Day, is the day that the British Government, alongside many others worldwide, has designated as a day of remembrance for the millions that were murdered by Nazi persecution during the Holocaust. It also remembers those killed through atrocities committed during conflicts in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

From 2005, Holocaust Memorial Day has been commemorated each year on January 27th. This date represents the same day that the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in 1945.

History of Holocaust Memorial Day

There are many different days of Holocaust remembrance across the World, with many countries choosing their own days to commemorate the tragedies that occurred.

On 1st November 2005, resolution 60/7, initiated by the modern state of Israel in the United Nations General Assembly, designated the 27th January as a desired day of Holocaust remembrance for all nations.

The intention behind it was to educate and inform people about the atrocities of the Holocaust and to encourage the continued preservation and protection of memorial sites. It also aims to warn against the dangers of Holocaust denial.

In the UK and Italy, Holocaust Memorial Day is observed as a national event.

What was the Holocaust?

The Holocaust was a systematic attempt by the Nazi German regime and its partners to exterminate people of Jewish faith, as well as other people they deemed not to fit their extreme race laws.

Through a process of segregation and deportation, many Jews were forced away from home and into concentration camps, where the astronomically high death-rates meant survival was a daily struggle.

In total, over 11 million people were murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during the Holocaust – this comprised of 6 million Jews and 5 million other ‘non-desirables’ including Gypsies, homosexuals and political prisoners.

How is Holocaust Memorial Day commemorated?

In the countries that observe it, International Holocaust Memorial Day is a day that features commemorative traditions and ceremonies.

In countries like Germany, Austria and Italy, ceremonies and vigils are held throughout the nation, with films and stories depicting the horrors often being shown and told.

In the U.S., the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum holds its own ceremony on 27th January, with survivors of Nazi persecution invited to attend and give personal testimonies of their suffering. Israel’s official Holocaust Memorial Museum, Yed Vashem, conducts a similar ceremony.

A 2015 televised memorial service in the U.K. commemorating the loss and the tragedy of the Holocaust attracted more than 1.3 million viewers. Those in attendance included the British Prime Minister, the Prince of Wales and the Archbishop of Canterbury.