Eighty years ago, 7,000 people were finally liberated from Auschwitz. Free at last, after years of unimaginable misery. In the years before, 1.1 million people had been murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz alone – mostly Jews.
As we commemorate 80 years since Britain and her allies defeated the Nazis and ended the Holocaust, we must never forget those appalling atrocities. We must never forget how six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis; how so much inhumanity was inflicted on humans by humans.
We must remember, so that we try harder to stop it happening again, as it has so tragically in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and elsewhere. We must be vigilant in our opposition to antisemitism, hatred, discrimination and oppression, and vigilant in defence of peace, human rights – and compassion.
A few months ago, we marked with great sorrow the passing of Lily Ebert, who was deported to Auschwitz when she was 20. She was truly inspirational – giving hope to so many after enduring such unspeakable horror.
