Auschwitz Remembered: Survivors mark liberation from former Nazi concentration camp 80 years ago

26 January 2025, 22:56 | Updated: 27 January 2025, 07:32

World leaders, royalty and dignitaries are meeting at Auschwitz-Birkenau today to mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation, but the remaining survivors and their message will remain the focus of events.

The King will be among those travelling to Poland to remember more than a million people murdered there - mostly Jews who were among around six million killed during the Holocaust by the Nazis.

The ceremony - available to watch on Sky News from 2pm - will be held in front of the infamous gates of the former concentration camp which had the words Arbeit Macht Frei, "work sets you free", above it.

Survivors will place a light in front of a freight train carriage - a symbol of the event.

Charles, with other heads of state and government, will lay lights in memory of those who died during the Holocaust during the Second World War.

The carriage - manufactured in Germany - represents just one part of the harrowing ordeal people endured as they were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Survivors will address guests, expected to include France's President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, along with the king and queen of both the Netherlands and Spain.

Later historic landmarks across the UK are lighting up in purple to mark Holocaust Memorial Day at 8pm.

In previous years the London Eye, Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, St George's Hall in Liverpool, the Blackpool Tower and Gateshead Millennium Bridge have been flooded in purple.

People are also encouraged to place candles in their windows to honour those who were killed.

The prime minister hosted a reception on Wednesday for Holocaust survivors at Downing Street and spoke about his recent trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

On 17 January Sir Keir Starmer visited the concentration camp, a place he described as "utterly harrowing".

'Never again' must mean 'never again'

The UK's main political leaders have issued statements on Holocaust Memorial Day describing the importance of being united against antisemitism.

The prime minister said: "It happened, it can happen again: that is the warning of the Holocaust to us all.

"And it's why it is a duty for all of us to make 'never again' finally mean what it says: never again."

That view was shared by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch: "The Holocaust stands as a unique evil in human history.

"It is crucial that we learn its lessons and continue to combat antisemitism, ensuring that 'never again' truly means never again".

Read more:
How I escaped the train of death
I 'cannot forgive' Germany
Survivor fears lessons not learnt

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey pointed to genocides in the decades since the Second World War.

"We must remember, so that we try harder to stop it happening again, as it has so tragically in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and elsewhere.

"We must be vigilant in our opposition to antisemitism, hatred, discrimination and oppression, and vigilant in defence of peace, human rights - and compassion," he said.

Pope warns of 'scourge of anti-semitism'

Meanwhile, Pope Francis has warned of the "scourge of antisemitism".

In a prayer on Sunday, the pontiff said: "The horror of the extermination of millions of Jewish people and others of different faiths during those years must never be forgotten or denied.

"I renew my appeal for everyone to work together to eradicate the scourge of antisemitism, along with every form of discrimination and religious persecution."

'We must not be complacent'

Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly paused to remember the holocaust on Thursday at an event in Belfast.

Ms O'Neill said: "As we pause to remember the past, we resolve to shine a light on suffering and injustice wherever it occurs".

Meanwhile, Ms Little-Pengelly said: "Holocaust Memorial Day reminds us that we must not be complacent in the face of prejudice".