Commemoration of Holocaust Victims in Ukraine
On January 27, Ukrainians and the international community honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
Holocaust Remembrance Day: What President Zelensky Said
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk joined the commemoration.
“January 27 marks the day when the world remembers the victims of the Holocaust. This was a deliberate attempt by the Nazis to wipe out an entire nation, to kill all its people, to erase all traces of Jews. Six million victims. The crime of the Holocaust must never be repeated. Unfortunately, the memory of the Holocaust is gradually fading. And the evil that seeks to destroy the lives of entire nations still exists in the world,” emphasized the head of state.
According to him, the Holocaust must never be repeated, but the memory of it is weakening.
“And the evil that seeks to destroy the lives of entire nations still exists in the world... We all must fight for life and not forget that indifference is fertile ground for evil. We must overcome the hatred that breeds torment and murder,” concluded Zelensky.
For his part, Stefanchuk called the Holocaust one of the most terrible crimes against humanity that must never be repeated.
“Today, January 27, Ukraine, along with the entire world, honors the memory of the Holocaust victims. This is one of the most heinous crimes against humanity - genocide that claimed millions of innocent lives,” added Stefanchuk.
He noted that during that terrible time humanity “lost far too much due to hatred, cruelty, and intolerance.” People were persecuted and destroyed for their national, ethnic, racial or religious affiliation, political beliefs, social group, or way of life.
“We remember the names of innocent victims who perished solely for who they were. Such evil must never be repeated. Never. And for no one,” summarized the parliamentary leader.
Holocaust Remembrance Day: Key Facts
On January 27, 1945, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front liberated one of the largest Nazi death camps - “Auschwitz-Birkenau” in the Polish city of Oswiecim.
A total of 6 million European Jews fell victim to the Holocaust, 1.5 million of whom died on the territory of Ukraine. Babyn Yar became the symbol of the genocide of Jews in Ukraine, where on September 29-30, 1941, the Nazis executed 33,771 Jews.
Ukraine first officially commemorated the day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust at the state level on January 27, 2012.
