World leaders will convene in Poland on Monday to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, one of history's most notorious concentration camps. This event coincides with the International Holocaust Memorial Day, an occasion established by the United Nations in 2005, to honor the victims of the Holocaust and reflect on the atrocities committed during World War II.
The Auschwitz Memorial and Museum highlights this commemoration as an opportunity for shared remembrance and global reflection. Approximately 1.1 million individuals were murdered at Auschwitz between 1940 and 1945, including Jews, Poles, Roma, and Soviet prisoners of war. To symbolize the anniversary, a freight train car will be placed in front of the main gate, dedicated to the memory of the roughly 420,000 Hungarian Jews deported to Auschwitz.
Survivors of Auschwitz are invited to attend the commemorations, with each allowed to bring a person for support. Michael Bornstein, one such survivor who endured seven months inside the camp as a child, expressed the emotional challenge of returning to such a site filled with painful memories.
"Nothing will be easy about returning." – Michael Bornstein
The FRA (Fundamental Rights Agency) recently reported that antisemitism remains a significant concern across Europe. A survey conducted by the FRA revealed that 76% of Jewish respondents sometimes conceal their identity, while 34% avoid Jewish events or sites due to safety concerns. Antisemitic incidents have surged since October 2023, with some Jewish organizations reporting increases exceeding 400%.
"Europe is witnessing a wave of antisemitism, partly driven by the conflict in the Middle East. This severely limits Jewish people’s ability to live in safety and with dignity." – Sirpa Rautio
Furthermore, events in the Middle East have sparked a rise in Islamophobic incidents across Europe. These have included acts of arson, verbal and physical abuse, and attacks on mosques, highlighting an alarming trend of intolerance affecting multiple communities.
