January 27 marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the infamous Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau.
European leaders have expressed concern over the rise of far-right parties, particularly in Germany, which faces elections next month.
Commemoration and Messages
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the duty to honor Holocaust victims.
“Monday marks 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp,” she wrote on social media.
“We will never forget the six million Jews mercilessly killed and all the victims of the Holocaust.”
Survivors are expected to attend ceremonies at the camp, established by Nazi forces in southern Poland in 1940. It was liberated by Soviet troops on January 27, 1945, months before the end of World War II.
The main commemoration will begin at 4:00 PM at the camp’s entrance, featuring a symbolic train car near the gate and survivors laying flowers at the “Wall of Death.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, and Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla are among the attendees.
Concerns Over Far-Right Movements
Chancellor Scholz faces challenges from the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has gained momentum. Controversial slogans at AfD rallies, such as calls to forget German guilt for Nazi crimes, have drawn criticism. Polish PM Donald Tusk warned these slogans echo dangerous rhetoric of the past.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
On this day, a report from an Israeli agency supporting Holocaust survivors revealed that over 123,000 survivors currently live in Israel, including those persecuted in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East during the war.
