Auschwitz Marks 80th Liberation Anniversary: Remembering the Holocaust and Fighting Denial
The 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation was observed on January 27th, with this year’s ceremony marking a poignant moment as likely the last major observance attended by a significant number of survivors. Approximately 50 elderly survivors, many in their 80s, were honored as the focus of the event, joined by world leaders including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a symbolic demonstration of Germany’s ongoing acceptance of responsibility. The ceremony, held at the Death Wall, remembered the approximately 1.1 million victims murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau, primarily Jews, but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The absence of Russian representatives reflected the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
John Q. Hosedrinker