by Estee Yaari

On 1 November, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution designating 27 January as International Day of Commemoration to honor the victims of the Holocaust, and “urging Member States to develop educational programs that will inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.”

In introducing the groundbreaking resolution, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman, paraphrasing Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, said: “We stand on the brink of the moment when this terrible event changes from memory to history. As the generation of Holocaust survivors and liberators dwindles, the torch of remembrance—of bearing witness and of education—must continue forward.” He urged the body to adopt the resolution: “Let those who were led to nameless deaths be given an everlasting name here in this Hall. In the words of the Prophet of Israel, Isaiah: ‘And I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (Yad Vashem)… that shall not be cut off.’”

This is the first time the UN has explicitly addressed the issue of the Holocaust in a resolution. It is the culmination of a long process that began in the late 1970s and gathered momentum with the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the establishment of newly democratic states. The late 1990s heralded a global upsurge in Holocaust research, awareness and education that continues until today. It also led to a growing recognition of the need to strengthen those values that foster co-existence—basic rights which were undermined during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides around the world.

Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev congratulated Secretary General Kofi Annan on the resolution, noting that it is the latest in a chain of Holocaust remembrance events in which the UN has participated. These include Yad Vashem’s exhibition on Auschwitz at the UN in January 2005, and the opening of Yad Vashem’s new Holocaust History Museum last March, attended by Secretary General Annan and 40 heads of state and foreign delegations.

“This gradual process of confronting the Holocaust and recognizing it as a watershed event in the 20th century really deepened at the turn of the new century,” Shalev said after the resolution was adopted. “In recent years we have witnessed the opening of many new Holocaust memorials, centers and educational programs, as well as initiatives to address the problems of antisemitism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance. The long process of confrontation with the past propelled key countries in Europe and the Americas to support this resolution.”

The timing of the resolution is also significant, as the world commemorates 60 years since the liberation of the camps and the Nuremberg Trials. Shalev remarked that by adopting the resolution, “the United Nations expressed its recognition of the importance of Holocaust remembrance as well as the role that Holocaust education plays in safeguarding basic human values.”

A number of countries already mark Holocaust Remembrance Day on dates with particular national significance. Others mark 27 January, the date the Soviet Army arrived at Auschwitz. “Auschwitz has become the symbol of the Holocaust, and of the destruction of Europe’s Jews,” explains Shalev. “Although 27 January certainly was not the end of the war, the fact that over one million Jews from all over Europe—as well as other victims of the Nazi regime—were killed in Auschwitz makes it a point of connection and solidarity with the memory of the victims. But beyond memorializing those who died, this resolution also serves as a warning against the erosion of values that can lead to war crimes, and the need to nurture universal human principles.”

However, Shalev stresses, the resolution must not only result in theoretical talk; concrete steps must be taken to implement these ideals. “Beyond the ceremonial and symbolic significance of marking Holocaust Memorial Days, the resolution recognizes the need for supporting ongoing education about the Holocaust—that is the crux of the matter.”

Academic Advisor to Yad Vashem Professor Israel Gutman concurs: “The decision proves the widespread awareness of what happened during the Holocaust, and is an achievement for the promotion of memory and education for society as a whole. But the importance of the resolution will depend on how it is implemented. It is crucial that this initiative also finds expression in education, public information, and political culture today—turning 27 January into an international day of learning from the Holocaust in an attempt to prevent future genocides.”
 

Yad Vashem helps mark 27 January at the UN and worldwide

Marking the first International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yad Vashem's “No Child’s Play” exhibition will be displayed at the UN and in Spain, as part of the official commemorative events. This exhibition opens a window into the world of children during the Shoah: the toys, games, artwork, diaries, and poems displayed highlight some of the personal stories of the children, providing a glimpse into their lives during the Holocaust. The exhibition tells the story of survival—the struggle of children to hold on to life.

In addition, Yad Vashem Academic Advisor Prof. Yehuda Bauer will give the first in a series of addresses to the UN under the title “Beyond Remembrance.” The session will include the screening of names and photographs from the Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names.

To help schools and other organizations plan for 27 January, Yad Vashem has built a mini-site on its website focusing on the significance of the date in the greater context of the Holocaust. The site includes links to educational resources and workshops on the Holocaust and antisemitism, as well as links to art exhibits, relevant documents, and a map of Holocaust commemoration around the world. In addition, The International School for Holocaust Studies has prepared a lesson plan to be distributed by the Ministry of Education to schools throughout Israel, as well as on the Ministry’s and Yad Vashem’s websites.

In advance of 27 January, the International Institute of Holocaust Research will hold a seminar on Karl Jasper’s book The Question of German Guilt, recently published in Hebrew by Yad Vashem. On 26 January, members of the diplomatic corps will attend the opening of Yad Vashem’s new exhibition “Montparnasse Deporte,” displaying the art—and fate—of L'Ecole de Paris. On the day itself, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev will attend the launch of the new OSCE Holocaust Memorial Day Guidelines, prepared by the OSCE and Yad Vashem, at the official commemorative event in Belgium.
 

top