Holocaust Memorial Day 2025
By: Essex Library Service
Fri 17/01/2025
Holocaust Memorial Day occurs each year on 27 January. This the anniversary of the date Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in 1945. It’s a day to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi persecution, and in other more recent genocides.
The theme for this year is ‘For a Better Future’. While racism and hatred do not always lead to genocide, all genocides begin with insidious stages including propaganda, ‘othering’ and dehumanisation. Genocide is a process that develops in stages that are predictable – but not inevitable. And at each stage preventive measures can stop it. Learning about the Holocaust and more recent genocides can help us all to identify the warning signs in the world around us.
These books are highly recommended:
The memory keeper: a journey into the past to unearth family secrets
Jackie Kohnstamm
Lily’s promise: how I survived Auschwitz and found the strength to live
Lily Ebert
The boy who didn’t want to die: a graphic memoir
Peter Lantos
Michael Rosen
The daughter of Auschwitz : the girl who lived to tell her story
Tova Friedman
You can explore this year’s theme further with the stories of bravery and resistance in our curated booklist.