World Marks Holocaust Remembrance Day Amid Urgent Warnings on Rising Antisemitism

WARSAW, Poland (Azat TV) – The world paused on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, marking the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Across Europe and globally, ceremonies honored the six million Jews and millions of others murdered by Nazi Germany, amidst urgent calls from leaders and survivors to confront a troubling resurgence of antisemitism and hate.

The day, established by a 2005 UN General Assembly resolution, specifically recalls January 27, 1945, when the Soviet army liberated Auschwitz, the most notorious of the Nazi German death camps. This year’s observances took on added urgency, with many reflecting on current global instability and the persistent spread of hatred.

Global Commemorations Emphasize Vigilance

Events unfolded across Europe, with Holocaust survivors, politicians, and citizens gathering to reflect on the unparalleled atrocities committed by Nazi Germany. In Poland, President Karol Nawrocki was scheduled to join survivors for a remembrance ceremony at Birkenau, the vast site where Jews from across Europe were systematically exterminated in gas chambers.

Berlin saw candles burning and white roses placed at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a powerful symbol of Germany’s remorse located near the Brandenburg Gate. In the Czech Republic, a candlelight march was planned at Terezin, the site of the former Nazi concentration camp Theresienstadt, where thousands perished or were deported to death camps like Auschwitz.

The European Parliament in Brussels also held a solemn session. President Roberta Metsola opened the ceremony, stating, “Today, antisemitism spreads faster than ever, amplified online and turning old lies into deadly realities. Remembering the Holocaust means confronting hatred wherever it appears – before it is allowed to take root again.” Her remarks were followed by a performance of Nicola Piovani’s song “Beautiful That Way.”

In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described a historic moment as 95-year-old Holocaust survivor Mala Tribich addressed the British Cabinet. Tribich, who survived Ravensbrück and Bergen-Belsen, urged cabinet members to fight antisemitism and to remember, noting, “Soon, there will be no eyewitnesses left.”

Survivors Share Their Indelible Stories

The voices of survivors served as poignant reminders of the human cost of the Holocaust. Tatiana Bucci, born in Italy in 1937, addressed Members of the European Parliament, recounting how she, her four-year-old sister Andra, their mother, aunt, grandmother, and cousin were deported to Auschwitz in March 1944. Tatiana and Andra, among the youngest child survivors with memories of their experience, spent ten months in Birkenau. Her cousin, Sergio, was subjected to experimentation and “brutally killed.” The sisters were later reunited with their parents in Italy in December 1946.

In New York City, students from East New York Academy toured the Museum of Jewish Heritage, where they met Fred Schoenfeld, a survivor born in Czechoslovakia. Schoenfeld vividly recalled hiding with his mother to avoid deportation, and later finding refuge in the Tatra Mountains before his liberation in February 1945. His grandfather and two aunts were murdered at Auschwitz. “My father pleaded with them that she has to take care of me. I’m sick. And by sheer miracle, they turned around and walked out,” Schoenfeld recounted, describing a close call with deportation.

These personal testimonies underscore the dwindling number of living survivors. According to information published by the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, an estimated 196,600 Jewish Holocaust survivors are still alive globally, down from 220,000 a year earlier. Their median age is 87, with 97% being “child survivors” born in 1928 or later.

Education as an Antidote to Hate

Amidst these commemorations, the critical role of education in combating hate was a recurring theme. Erika Hockenberry, a social studies teacher, emphasized that Holocaust education helps students develop empathy and compassion. “Unfortunately, history is always repeating itself,” she noted. While Holocaust education is mandatory in New York, there is no set curriculum.

Rabbi Jennifer Goldsmith, Vice President of Education and Visitor Services at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, highlighted the museum’s efforts, which saw approximately 31,000 students in 2025. She stated, “We talk about the use of propaganda. We talk about antisemitism.”

The need for such education is starkly evident in New York City, where antisemitic incidents accounted for 57% of all reported hate crimes in 2025, despite Jews comprising only about 10% of the population, according to NYPD data. City Council Speaker Julie Menin, whose parents and grandparents were Holocaust survivors, announced a five-point action plan, including a $1.25 million allocation to the Museum of Jewish Heritage for a new virtual Holocaust education experience. This initiative addresses a concerning 2020 survey by the Claims Conference, which found that 58% of millennials and Gen Z in New York could not name a single concentration camp or ghetto.

Intergenerational Trauma and the Path to Healing

Beyond the immediate acts of remembrance, medical professionals like Dr. H. Steven Moffic, an award-winning psychiatrist, reflected on the long-term impact of historical trauma. Writing on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Dr. Moffic connected past atrocities to present challenges, emphasizing that severe trauma is often not remembered but displaced unless processed successfully, often requiring social support and psychotherapy. He highlighted the concept of intergenerational transmission of trauma, noting its enduring effects on individuals and communities, including Holocaust survivors and their descendants.

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum issued a call to stop the abuse and exploitation of Holocaust memory, asserting that with Holocaust denial and violent antisemitism surging globally, the lessons of the Holocaust have never been more urgent.

The global observances of International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2026 underscored a critical juncture: as the generation of eyewitnesses rapidly diminishes, the responsibility for preserving memory and combating hate increasingly shifts to educational initiatives and collective societal vigilance. The renewed emphasis on understanding intergenerational trauma and the stark data on rising antisemitism signal that remembrance must be an active, ongoing commitment, rather than a passive annual observance, to prevent history from repeating itself.