Holocaust Memorial Day marks 67th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation
January 27, 2012
Friday, January 27, marks the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, and is also honored as Holocaust Memorial Day in Germany. The nation commemorated the grave day with a special parliamentary session, according to Deutsche Welle. Political figureheads spoke about the importance of learning from history so as not to repeat the same mistakes, and a Jewish World War II survivor even spoke about his experience.
Marcel Reich-Ranicki, 91, lived in the Warsaw ghetto and was there when the Nazis purged the cramped, overcrowded district.
"I don't know if I can do it, if I am up to the task to talk about the fate of the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto," he told reporters before giving his speech, according to the news source. "A day never goes by without thinking about it."
People can make calls to Germany with international phone cards to speak with their loved ones about the solemn holiday, and how far Germany has come since Hitler's reign ended.