International Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemorations in European Union Institutions

"Irena Sendler's dream was to remember the Holocaust as a warning to the world, so that such terrible events should never happen again", said Andrzej Wolf, creator of the film "The Story of Irena Sendler", the premiere of which took place on Wednesday at the headquarters of the European Council in Strasbourg. To mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, European Union institutions organised many events, recalling the 71st anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.   "We must honestly admit that, more than seventy years after the Holocaust, antisemitism is still present in civilised Europe. While there is anxiety against diversity, in difficult times there will be the temptation to look for scapegoats", stated Federica Logherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.   On 27th January, other institutions also proposed resolutions, among them being the European Commission. It published a new report on the implementation, by EU member countries, of provisions aimed at countering racism and xenophobia.   The Film - "The Story of Irena Sendler"    The film had uts premiere on 27th January at the headquarters of the European Council in Strasbourg. It is directed by Andrzej Wolf, a lecturer at the Warsaw Film School. It also went on public screening, that same day, on the Elektryk cinema in Warsaw.    "I made this film so that future generations would know about these not so distant tragic times. I wanted to show what intolerance can lead to, a lack of respect and antisemitism, but also to show the righteous, heroes prepared to risk their own lives to help the persecuted and the injured”, said the director.   The film is enhanced by material from the Steven Spielberg archives, with music composed by Michał Lorenc. More about irena Sendler on our website.   Seminar - "But the World Remained Silent ... Remembering the Victims of the Holocaust and Those Who Rescued Jews”   As part of the Holocaust Remembrance Day events, Law and Justice Eurodeputies arranged a seminar in the European Parliament, dedicated to remembering Holocaust victims and those who saved them. This was co-organised by the Israeli Ambassador to the EU and NATO.   Participants in the conference were Prof. Grzegorz Berendt (historian, Gdańsk branch of the Institute fo National Remembrance), Łukasz Chrobak (historian, Ulm Family Museum of Poles Who Saved Jews During WWII, in Markowa), Dr Robert Rozett (long-serving Director of the Yad Vashem Library in Jerusalem), David Schwammenthal (Director, AJC Transatlantic Institute), David Walzer (Israeli Ambassador to the EU and NATO) and Prof. Jan Żaryn (historian, Senator RP). The Moderator was Anna Fotyga.   "Poles rescuing Jews in whatever manner - whether incidentally, whether over a week, a month or even years - numbered at least several thousand, maybe even a million or more. That sounds astounding but, for historians studying this subject, it is not shocking. The shock is that number is not treated seriously commentators, educationalists and in the media", said Prof. Żaryn.   In response to his comments about the Polish Righteous, Dr Robert Rozett of Yad Vashem responded, "This image is being excessively idiolised. The saving of Jews were simply dots of light within the darkness. They were extremely important, but we must retain a sense of proportion".   He recalled that the attitudes of Poles towards Jews during the Holocaust was not universal, "Today, Poland has very good research facilities. We know what people can cause their neighbours. The best known example of this is Jedwabne”.   In his talkm Director David Schwammenthal  drew attention to the fact that "remembering victims of the Holocaust should not be separated from an awareness of contemporary threats”.   Until Friday, the European Parliament will  host an exhibition entitled "Auschwitz - Between Heaven and Hell. St. Maksymilian Kolbe in the works of Marian Kołodzie”. Creator of the exhibition is photographer Stanisław Markowski.   Warsaw Holocaust Remembrance Day events on our website.