Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day
In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly established International Holocaust Remembrance Day – January 27.
Every year on January 27, the world remembers the victims of the Holocaust. This date reminds us of the tragic events of the mass murder of Jews by the fascist regime of Germany.
The choice of date is not accidental. It was on January 27, 1945, that the soldiers of the Red Army liberated the prisoners of the death camp "Auschwitz" ("Auschwitz-Birkenau"). This event became a symbol of victory over evil and a reminder of how terrible Nazism is. In 2005, the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for the preservation of the memory of the Holocaust victims and the heroism of the soldiers who gave their lives in the fight against the brown plague of fascism.
The events that took place in Orsha in the autumn of 1941 became part of the tragic history of the Holocaust. The ghetto, organized by the occupation command, became a place of mockery and humiliation for the Jewish population. In conditions of prohibitions, unsanitary conditions, and outbreaks of epidemics, the survivors faced hunger and the cruelty of the police and Germans guarding the ghetto every day.
Due to inhumane conditions, many prisoners died even before the terrible November, in which the ghetto population was completely destroyed. The shootings were meticulously planned, leaving no chance for their victims to escape. On a November morning, all the prisoners were taken to the Jewish cemetery on Friedrich Engels Street. Farewell to loved ones became the last moment of life for most of them.
The tragic events in Orsha became a symbol of the resilience of those who continued to resist even in conditions of complete despair.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity to once again remember the tragedy that affected millions of people. After all, the Holocaust is not only a tragedy of the Jewish people but also a reminder that history is never insured against the repetition of terrible crimes against humanity. It is also a chance to reflect on the importance of preserving historical memory in the fight against any manifestations of intolerance and violence.
V. YURIEVA, head of the VIM K. S. Zaslonov.
Photo by Viktor SOSNOVSKY.