Holocaust Remembrance Day 2022
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. We will talk about the founding of the holiday, the importance, and some ways to observe the day.
Memorial at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Israel
Founding
Holocaust remembrance day was first Commemorated by the UN General assembly in 2005 Commemorating the 60th anniversary of Soviet Troops freeing the remaining prisoners of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp.
Jasenovac Concentration Camp and museum in Jasenovac, Croatia
Importance
During the Holocaust, 6 Million people of Jewish descent were killed by a regime led by a Madman. In gruesome and horrifying ways. The Nazi Regime also murdered 7 million Soviet civilians, 3 million Soviet POWs, 1.8 million Polish civilians, 312,000 Serbian civilians, as many as 250.000 people with disabilities, between 250,000 and 500,000 thousand Roma People (more commonly known as Gypsies), 1,900 Jehovah’s Witnesses, over 70,000 Repeat criminal offenders and “asocials” possibly including thousands of Homosexuals. Learn more here.
This loss of life is unprecedented throughout all of human history. But unfortunately, some people choose to try and deny the evidence of this horrific event or even downplay the catastrophic loss of life. If we forget the Holocaust, we open the possibility of such an event happening again, and we cannot let that happen. Never again should people be able to cause such hatred and death.
A Guard Tower on a Concentration Camp site
Commemoration
If you wish to Commemorate this day, the United States Holocaust Museum is open six days a week and has free admission. If you aren’t in the DC area, I recommend reading any of the accounts of Holocaust Survivors. I recommend Night by Ellie Wiesel, a Semi-fictionalized account of a Holocaust Survivor.
No matter what you do today or how you choose to recognize this day, know that this dark stain on human history cannot be allowed to repeat itself. If you have a recommended way to commemorate this day, please share it below. Until next time.
Auschwitz