Hundreds of MPs sign Book of Remembrance in Parliament to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day
2 min read
Hundreds of MPs have signed a Book of Commitment in Parliament, pledging to honour and remember those who died at the hands of Nazis throughout the Second World War.
In honour of Holocaust Memorial Day, taking place on Thursday, MPs representing all parties have also paid tribute to the work of survivors, many of whom continue to educate younger generations today through sharing their testimonies.
Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of Holocaust Educational Trust, which organises the Book of Commitment said: “As the Holocaust fades from living memory, it falls on all of us to ensure that their stories and the stories of the 6 Jewish million men, women and children brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, are never forgotten.
“We know that the leaders of our country are committed to remembering the Holocaust and learning its enduring lessons for today. By signing the Book of Commitment, they are reaffirming that support.”
This week, Boris Johnson heard the testimony of 92-year-old survivor Manfred Goldberg, who was born in central Germany and spent more than eight months as a slave labourer in Stutthof concentration camp.
Speaking to the Prime Minister in Downing Street, Goldberg said that leaders must assure the Holocaust is never permitted to “be relegated to fading history.”
“On this Holocaust Memorial Day it has been my privilege to listen to the testimony of Manfred Goldberg, who passed through several concentration campus in Lithuania and Poland,” the Johnson said.
“It is hard to imagine a childhood narrative that could be more horrific, or more powerful, or more important.
“We must use this testimony to banish all complacency from our hearts; because it is not enough to remember, we must make sure that everyday, in everything we do, we take action to stamp out prejudice and anti-Semitism in this country.”
PoliticsHome Newsletters
Get the inside track on what MPs and Peers are talking about. Sign up to The House's morning email for the latest insight and reaction from Parliamentarians, policy-makers and organisations.
