
Today, International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed worldwide, honoring the victims of one of history’s darkest chapters. This year, the day also commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp, where over 1.1 million individuals—predominantly Jewish—were murdered.
In Budapest, Hungary, survivors and community members gathered to remember the nearly half a million Hungarian Jews who were deported and killed during the Holocaust. Among them was Tamás Léderer, who, at 87 years old, continues to grapple with the atrocities of the past. Born in Budapest in 1938, Léderer evaded deportation by hiding with his family in basements. The yellow star, meant to mark him as Jewish, was torn from his clothing by his parents in a desperate act of defiance.
Reflecting on his survival and the loss of so many others, Léderer shared, “I can never fully escape the fear that hatred could once again return. The memory of what happened is always present.” His words echo the sentiment of countless survivors who urge the world to confront the lingering dangers of prejudice and hate.
At Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, solemn ceremonies were held to honor the victims. Elderly survivors, many accompanied by family members, placed candles at the site’s infamous Death Wall. The event, widely regarded as one of the last major gatherings of survivors, underscores the urgency of preserving their testimonies. As the youngest survivors now enter their 80s, their stories remain vital in combating denial and misinformation about the Holocaust.
During the memorial, Polish President Andrzej Duda lit a candle at the Death Wall, a somber reminder of the executions carried out there. Leaders from Germany, France, Canada, and other nations joined the observances, reaffirming a collective commitment to remember the Holocaust and address rising extremism.
The day also saw global efforts to educate younger generations. Marianne Miller, a Holocaust survivor who narrowly escaped deportation as a child in Hungary, delivered a heartfelt address at the United Nations. Her message was clear: “The Holocaust must never be forgotten. We must replace hatred with love and ensure such atrocities are never repeated.”
Auschwitz-Birkenau has become a powerful symbol of the Holocaust, representing both the unfathomable scale of Nazi atrocities and the resilience of those who survived. Its liberation by Soviet forces on January 27, 1945, marked the beginning of the end for the genocide that claimed six million Jewish lives, along with countless others persecuted for their ethnicity, beliefs, or identities.
Today, as world leaders and communities come together to reflect, the message is as urgent as ever: remembering the past is essential to preventing future tragedies. The lessons of Auschwitz demand vigilance, empathy, and action in the face of hatred and intolerance. As survivor Tamás Verő, a rabbi in Budapest, expressed, “Memory is not just about the past. It is a commitment to ensuring the dignity and safety of every human being.”
Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license and was created by ד”ר אבישי טייכר.