WE, SURVIVORS, KNOW THAT THE CONSEQUENCE OF BEING AN ALIEN
IS ACTIVE PERSECUTION.
80TH ANNIVERSARY
OF LIBERATION OF AUSCHWITZ
Paweł Sawicki
They were accompanied by leaders and representatives of over 50 countries who listened to their words—crowned heads, presidents, prime ministers, ministers and diplomats as well as the representatives of numerous international institutions, social organization, clergy, the staff of museums and memorials devoted to this subject as well as—by intermediary of the media – all those who wished to honour the memory of the victims of German Nazis. The ceremony was hosted by Marek Zając, secretary of the International Auschwitz Council and chairman of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Board.
Marian Turski, an Auschwitz Survivor and a member of the International Auschwitz Council, welcomed the gathered.
Marian Turski was born on June 26, 1926, as Moshe Turbowicz in Druskininkai. During World War II, he was displaced to the Litzmannstadt ghetto and later deported to Auschwitz. In January 1945, he was evacuated on a “death march” to the Buchenwald camp. He was liberated in Theresienstadt.
“It is understandable, even obvious, that people, the media, turn to us—the Survivors—to share our recollections. But we were always a tiny minority… Of those who once passed positive selections, very, very few of us remained. And only a fraction of those survived to see freedom. Now, there is just a handful left. That is why I believe we should turn our thoughts toward the overwhelming majority, toward those millions of victims who will never tell us what they experienced, what they felt, because they were swallowed up by the Shoah,” he said.
“My dear friends, for at least two thousand years, a vision of the apocalypse has been with us. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear: War, Pestilence, Famine, and Death. People are terrified, paralyzed by fear, feeling utterly helpless. What can be done?” asked Marian Turski.
After these words, he quoted a text by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov: ‘Our entire world, our world, is like a very narrow bridge. And the main thing is: Do not be afraid at all!’
“So, do not fear! In the world today, we see a significant rise in antisemitism the very antisemitism that led to the Holocaust,” said Marian Turski.
“Let us not be afraid to show the same courage today, when Hamas tries to deny the massacre of October 7. Let us not be afraid to stand up to conspiracy theories claiming that all evil in the world is caused by secret cabals of unspecified groups. Jews, of course, are often singled out in such narratives. Let us not be afraid to talk about the problems troubling what is called the Last Generation. True, these young people are violating our system, our order, our legal framework, but a judge who passed sentence on them made the telling remark: ‘Perhaps today I am sentencing tomorrow’s heroes,’ he added.
“Let us not be afraid to convince ourselves that problems can be resolved between neighbors. For centuries, on various continents, different nations, nationalities, or ethnic groups have lived side by side and among each other. Mutual prejudices, hate speech, hatred itself, have led to armed conflicts between neighboring nations and ethnic groups. These have always ended in bloodshed, but fortunately there are positive experiences when both sides realize they have no other way to ensure a peaceful and secure life for their children, grandchildren, and future generations than to reach a compromise,” emphasized Marian Turski.
The main addresses on the anniversary were delivered by Survivors: Janina Iwańska, Tova Friedman, and Leon Weintraub.
Janina Iwańska was born on June 12, 1930, in Warsaw. The Germans deported her from the Warsaw Uprising to Auschwitz. During the camp’s evacuation, she was transferred first to the Ravensbrück camp and later to Neustadt-Glewe where she was liberated.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, six months ago, in June, I was here to commemorate the first transport of prisoners to Auschwitz. They were Polish prisoners imprisoned in Tarnów and transported here—728 people in total. That was the 84th anniversary of the first transport. Today, I’m attending the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, i.e., the end of the camp’s operation. So the camp—Auschwitz, and later Birkenau—lasted four and a half years,” said Janina Iwańska.
“After Auschwitz, I was still in Ravensbrück and then in the Neustadt-Glewe subcamp. For me, Liberation Day did not come until May 2, 1945. When the war ended in ’45, euphoria spread throughout the world because the world war was over. Everyone believed that the slogan ‘Never Again War’ meant there would never be another war, that we would be happy. Picasso painted the Dove of Peace, which symbolized that
On January 27, 56 Auschwitz Survivors met in front of the Death Gate at the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp.
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