Summary
People around the world, including Holocaust survivors and political leaders, gathered to remember the millions killed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. The events took place on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is observed annually on January 27, the day Auschwitz was liberated in 1945. Leaders and survivors shared reflections on the dangers of hatred and the importance of remembering history.
Key Facts
- International Holocaust Remembrance Day is marked on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Soviet army.
- Auschwitz was a Nazi death camp where about 1.1 million people were killed, mostly Jews.
- In total, 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, along with others such as Poles and Roma.
- The day was established by a U.N. resolution in 2005.
- Italian President Sergio Mattarella spoke about the dangers of hatred and racism.
- In Berlin, candles were lit at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
- Events included speeches by survivors who stressed the lessons of history and the threat of rising hatred.
- Russia was not invited to the Auschwitz observance due to its invasion of Ukraine.
