Events
Holocaust Memorial Day 2023
What is Holocaust Memorial Day?
Holocaust Memorial Day takes place to encourage the remembrance of victims of genocide across the world. It's an international day to remember over six million Jewish people who were killed during the Holocaust, as well as the millions of other people who Nazi Germany persecuted during World War Two.
Holocaust Memorial Day falls on January 27th, the same day that the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in 1945.
What was the Holocaust?
The Holocaust (1933-1945) was a process that started with the discrimination of Jewish people, and ended with millions of people being killed, simply because of who they were. It was a process that became increasingly brutal over time.
During the Holocaust, many Jewish people were forced away from home and into concentration camps, where the unimaginably high death rates meant that survival was a daily struggle.
In total, over 11 million people were murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during the Holocaust. This number represents 6 million Jewish people and 5 million other victims, including Gypsies, members of the LGBTQ+ community and political prisoners.
LGBTQ+ people in the Holocaust:
The Nazis used badges to identify why people were imprisoned. Gay people were assigned a pink triangle and were treated worse than other groups (except Jews) because they were considered deviant.
In addition, many were beaten to death not only by guards but also other inmates who identified them by their pink triangles. Nazi scientists also castrated and experimented on inmates in perverse attempts to find a “cure” for their sexuality.
Even after concentration camps were shut down, many gay survivors were never truly liberated. Homosexuality was not decriminalised in Germany until 1967 in East Germany and 1969 in West Germany, and so a number of survivors ended up back in prison. Many were also unable to return to their families due to the shame and stigma attached to the pink triangle.
Local Holocaust Memorial Day Activities:
Calderdale College - HMD Calderdale Commemoration Event
Calderdale, College, Wednesday 25th January at 6pm
Calderdale College will be hosting the annual Holocaust memorial Day event, working in partnership with Calderdale Council, Calderdale Interfaith, Holocaust Center North, and the Holocaust Survivors friendship association.
6 Million+ Charitable Trust - Extraordinary People:
Dewsbury Town Hall, Thursday 26th January 2023 at 7.15pm
A partnership event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in Kirklees with community groups, schools, refugees and faith leaders.
Each of us is at risk of being a victim, bystander or perpetrator. Each of us is capable of being a rescuer, friend of the vulnerable and community builder. These possibilities will be expressed through music, song, poetry, puppetry, drama and portraits.