"The people of Poland produced thousands of “Righteous among the Nations”. Men and women who put their own lives and the lives of their dear ones at risk for the sake of others. And they too are remembered, and we will remember and honor each of those men and women forever," said the Israeli President.
"The Nazi death machine would not have been able to achieve its terrible vision, if it had not received help; if it had not found a fertile ground of hatred for Jews, in which to take root. True, it was Germany that established the camps, but our people were not murdered only in the camps. The members of our nation were betrayed by the people amongst whom they lived, in France, in Holland, and in Belgium. They were murdered by Ukrainians, Lithuanians and yes - also by Poles," added Rivlin.
"Germany did not purchase the forgiveness of the Jews, just as no nation can legislate their forgetting. For no legislation can cover over the blood. No self-interest can cover over antisemitism, racism, hatred of the other. Not in Austria, not in France, not in Holland not in Belgium, and above all, not in Germany," he emphasised.
"But those who are willing to bravely look straight into their past, those who are willing to bravely deal with the antisemitism and the racism that continue to raise their heads even today will find in us allies, determined, true partners to pave the way that leads from remembrance to the future," said Rivlin, adding that “there are here with us today, survivors, whose bodies and souls testify to those horrors to this day. They will hand on to us the torch of memory, and we shall carry it from generation to generation”.
During the main celebration of the March of the Living, Director of the Museum Piotr Cywiński presented a nomination to the Council of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum to the director of the March, Aharon Tamirow, on behalf of Prof. Piotr Gliński, Minister of Culture and National Heritage.
At the end of the ceremony, the Kaddish was mutually recited .
Participants of the March at Auschwitz II-Birkenau site. Photo Wojciech Grabowski