inhabitants of this speck into thousands of disparate groups that are often hostile to each other?,” he said.
“Every year, lengthy discussions take place in parliaments regarding budget cuts. Significant amounts of money are allocated to armaments. In contrast, the peaceful coexistence of nations could be achieved without any financial cost. Just think about the positive impact this expenditure could create,” he added.
“I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to the management and all the staff of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum for their tireless efforts in preserving the memory of the victims of Nazi ideology and in combating prejudice and hostility toward others. Allowing the memory of millions of innocent victims to fade would be equivalent to robbing them of their lives a second time,” Leon Weintraub emphasized.
During the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Ronald S. Lauder delivered an address on behalf of the donors supporting the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum. He began his address by recalling the words of Survivor Roman Kent from the 70th anniversary of liberation, who said at the time, “We do not want our past to be our’s children future”
“Roman Kent’s words haunt us. So, let today be the day when all of us – world leader or ordinary citizen, Jewish or non-Jewish, old or young, make a solemn pledge to stop this now, before it’s too late. We must… You must make sure that in every one of your countries, no hatred of Jewish people or any people is tolerated at all”, said Lauder.
“Remember. It wasn’t just Jews that died here. Practically every single prime minister, president, and king here today lost millions of their own countrymen in the war to defeat this hatred 80 years ago. Millions of young men gave up their lives so these gas chambers would be turned off forever. That means millions of young men never had the chance to live out their lives, to fall in love, to have families, to do good work, to watch their children grow up. They gave up everything so that we could live in a free and safe world” said Ronald S. Lauder.
“We can leave here and go back to our 50 different countries and assume it’s not our problem. Or we can leave here today united in our determination to stop this hate rising up in our world. United in our determination to guide our young people in the right direction. United as one,” he emphasized..
All those gathered for their presence on this special day were thanked by Auschwitz Memorial Director Dr. Piotr M.A. Cywinski, who dedicated his speech to the importance of memory: – Memory is polyphonic; it both divides and unites generations. It has divided and united me in my own experience. For eighteen years, I have stood here, experiencing both division and unity. We teach history, but this is not the same as teaching memory. History is the knowledge of facts, Memory is the awareness of those facts, which is precisely what we so desperately need today. History does not create trauma. Memory can. Memory is the key to understanding today's world and designing tomorrow's. Yet, we continue to focus solely on teaching history, not memory. Our educational programs must be changed. They must. Because memory is not just a matter of culture; it is a matter of identity.
“We are standing here with the people who bear responsibility for the world we live in today. Like you, I was born after the war… Like you, I do not remember those times… Like you, I listened to the stories of the Survivors… but what am I doing today? And what am I neglecting? What decisions do I make today? And are they guided by memory?,” added director Cywiński.
“And you, our dear Survivors. Beloved ones. You have come here. Our memory is primarily shaped by your experiences, The fruit of your lives. There are no words, dearest ones, to express the depth of our gratitude. But what are we to do with this memory today? If today, my friend, you feel uncertain about what to do, if you feel powerless, if you feel you cannot go on, then perhaps you have reached your limit. If so, know that limits are only imaginary.
You can always do more. Do something good – whatever you can, in the best way you can. Do it for others, and you will find that you have done it for yourself as well. Do it within the