This week Sir John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon, signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, and in doing so pledged his commitment to marking Holocaust Memorial Day – honouring those who were murdered during the Holocaust as well as paying tribute to the extraordinary Holocaust survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today.
Holocaust Memorial Day falls on 27th January, the liberation of the infamous former Nazi concentration and death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation in 1945. Across the UK – and internationally – people will come together to remember the Holocaust.
2025 is a significant anniversary year marking 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps of Europe. With survivors becoming older and frailer, this is likely to be the last significant anniversary at which Holocaust survivors will be present, and able to share their eye-witness testimony. As the Holocaust moves from living memory to history, this Holocaust Memorial Day presents a key opportunity to bring the Holocaust to the fore of our national consciousness.
In the lead up to and on Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The theme for this year’s commemorations is ‘For a Better Future’.
On Holocaust Memorial Day we also remember and pay tribute to all of those persecuted by the Nazis, including Roma and Sinti people, disabled people, gay men, political opponents to the Nazis and others. We also remember all of those affected by genocide since, in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
After signing the Book of Commitment, Sir John commented:
“Holocaust Memorial Day this year marks 80 years since the liberation of the infamous former Nazi concentration and death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, in 1945. Today presents an important opportunity for people from Maldon to reflect on the darkest times of European history. I pledge to remember the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in the Holocaust and speak out against all forms of antisemitism, which in recent months has risen exponentially and which needs to be tackled head on.”
Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said:
“This year, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we come together to mark 80 years since the liberation of the extermination and concentration camps of Europe. We remember the six million Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators and we honour those who survived and rebuilt their lives after enduring unimaginable horrors.
The images and accounts that emerged at liberation revealed the full scale of the Nazis’ attempt to annihilate the Jewish people and this gave rise to the enduring call ‘Never Again.’ This phrase embodies the hope that the Holocaust would serve as a stark warning to future generations of the consequences of unchecked hatred and antisemitism.
As we mark this significant anniversary, the lessons of the Holocaust remain as urgent as ever. With survivors becoming fewer and frailer, and with antisemitism continuing to surge across the world – we must all commit to remembering the six million Jewish victims and must take action to ensure anti-Jewish racism is never again allowed to thrive.”
Sir John is pictured below signing the Book of Commitment
