Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa.
Here are the three things to take away from today’s blog:
Auschwitz survivors repeatedly warned about the rise of antisemitism in Europe (16:45) and the risk posed by far-right and nationalist parties (17:44), as they spoke of the need to renew the vows to “not only to remember, … but also to warn and to teach that hatred only begets more hatred” (17:26). Many of their speeches referenced the 7 October attacks on Israel by Hamas and the crisis in the Middle East.
Royals, heads of state and government, and senior officials from over 50 countries, including Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Poland, took part in the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration camp in Auschwitz, but none of them spoke at the main event after organisers decided to prioritise survivors (12:54).
Closing the event, Auschwitz museum director, Piotr Cywiński, issued a rallying cry to protect the memory of the Holocaust and Auschwitz, stressing that “without memory, you have no history; you have no experience, and no point of reference” (18:26).
That’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today. See you tomorrow.
I leave you with pictures from other Holocaust remembrance events around the world.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at [email protected].
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Earlier today, I brought you comments from British monarch Charles III as he spoke during his visit at the Jewish Community Centre in Kraków (14:51).
But his words sparked a controversy among conservatives in Poland, with former Polish deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to Israel, Marek Magierowski, criticising him for not explicitly mentioning the Polish victims of Auschwitz.
In his speech, Charles said:
It is a moment when we recall the six million Jews, old and young, who were systematically murdered, together with Sinti, Roma, disabled people, members of the LGBT community, political prisoners, and so many others upon whom the Nazis inflicted their violence and hatred.
In a viral social media post, Magierowski commented:
With all due respect: mentioning Jews, Sinti, Roma, the LGBT community, disabled people & political prisoners, and leaving out Polish victims (among “many others”, I presume), just raised my eyebrows. And I am doing my utmost to be as diplomatic and as phlegmatic as it gets.
Former Polish ambassador to the UK Arkady Rzegocki said: “Sad.”
