Holocaust Memorial Day: 'The message of never again is not forgotten'

As such, this time of year encourages reflection on such a tragedy. 

This year, the theme of Holocaust Memorial Day is the fragility of freedom, which provokes thought regarding how the freedom of those persecuted during this genocide was stripped from them. 

In 2023, I was allowed to attend a study visit to Budapest as a regional ambassador for the Holocaust Educational Trust. This trip inspired me to consider different ways in which the Holocaust is remembered worldwide, particularly the use of memorials in commemorating this mass murder, and how these monuments serve as a constant reminder of the fragility of the freedom of ordinary people in the face of antisemitism. 

One of the most poignant ways in which Holocaust memorials are used is to remember the six million Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. A prominent example of this is the Shoes on the Danube Bank, which is a memorial to the Hungarian Jews who were shot on the banks of the Danube River in the winter of 1944-1945. This memorial is composed of 60 pairs of shoes similar to those which would’ve been worn during the 1940s. 

The hard-hitting reality of this memorial stands as a stark reminder of the inhumane nature of the Holocaust, as it is impossible to comprehend the extent of the brutalities that transpired as a result of human actions. The Shoes on the Danube Bank captures perfectly the fragility of the freedom of the victims of this massacre, as it delineates how the Nazis forced their victims to remove their shoes as one final act of dehumanisation, in doing so shedding light upon the ease with which their freedom was stolen. 

However, my visit to Budapest demonstrated that Holocaust memorials can also be used as political statements.

The Memorial to the Victims of the German Occupation in Budapest’s Freedom Square depicts an angel representing Hungary being attacked by an Eagle symbolising Nazi Germany. 

This statue is intended to create the impression that Hungary was a victim of the Nazis, and subsequently to deny any involvement the Hungarian government had in the Holocaust. The use of this memorial is particularly significant as the deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz in 1944 would not have been possible without the assistance of the government which ruled over them. This highlights the complexity of memorialization as it illustrates the reluctance of European powers to acknowledge their collaboration in the Holocaust. As such, this encapsulates the fragility of the freedom of Jewish communities during the Second World War, as it exemplifies the willing nature of European governments to hand over their citizens to the Nazis.

As we reflect on Holocaust Memorial Day, it is more important than ever to reflect on how we remember the atrocities that took place and ensure that the memory and legacy of the Holocaust is passed down to future generations. To that end, the work that the Holocaust Educational Trust does in this field is invaluable.

The Trust educates young people through its Lessons from Auschwitz Programme, taking students from across the UK to Auschwitz throughout the year. The Trust also facilitates for the harrowing yet inspirational testimonies of Holocaust survivors to be shared, as well as creating resources for schools and providing training for teachers. My experiences with the Trust have inspired me to listen to the lived experiences of others and to do my part in ensuring that the message of ‘never again’ is not forgotten.