Jan. 27, 2022
By Tara Tiyaloglu
Staff Writer
Today marks the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp in Poland. This day, which is known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, honors the 6 million Jewish victims and 5 million other victims who died in the Holocaust.
On this day, people around the world also reaffirm their unwavering commitment to counter antisemitism, racism and other forms of intolerance that may lead to group-targeted violence.
Holocaust Remembrance Day grows increasingly important as the years pass because there are fewer survivors to share their stories and remind us of their experiences.
It is essential that we recognize the millions of individuals who endured inhumane treatment due to irrational hate. We must also acknowledge the power every individual has to act as an upstander even in the most difficult of circumstances.
To commemorate this day, I encourage you to listen to the stories of Holocaust survivors. For instance, you can visit the USC Shoah Foundation’s online archive, which hosts the largest audiovisual collection of its kind in the world. The collection consists of 54,140 World War II era survivor testimonies. You can also do an online search to find virtual events like concerts, lectures and seminars that are taking place today.
It is essential that we recognize the millions of individuals who endured inhumane treatment due to irrational hate.
In the weeks and months to come, consider reading Holocaust-related memoirs and fiction or watch Holocaust documentaries. You can also visit a museum like the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City.
The Holocaust changed the course of history, and knowing innocent lives were lost is heartbreaking, so the least we can do is educate ourselves and spread the message that antisemitism and racism should never be tolerated.
