Rochdale borough’s annual Holocaust memorial commemoration 2025

The Bright Hall, within Rochdale Town Hall, was the venue for this year’s annual Holocaust memorial commemoration on the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The ceremony on 27 January began with a rededication of the Rochdale Memorial Stone, in the Memorial Gardens, where the poem ‘First they came’ by Pastor Martin Niemӧller, was read by the mayor, Councillor Shakil Ahmed. Rabbi Warren Elf MBE chanted the Jewish Memorial Prayer for victims of the Holocaust in Hebrew with its English translation. This was followed by the mayor’s chaplain, Rev. Anne Gilbert offering prayers for peace and a dedication that the stone should continue as a reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust.

During the act of commemoration in the Town Hall, a brief history of Auschwitz-Birkenau was given. This explained how the camp evolved from originally being a deserted military barracks, to becoming a concentration camp with unliveable conditions. It very soon evolved into a vast complex with the camp at Birkenau being turned into the death camp where Jews were brought from various parts of Europe.

Liberation came on 27 January 1945 with the arrival of Russian soldiers who were unexpectedly met by horrifying scenes. The soldiers found themselves trying to cope with the traumatic discovery of suffering and death. There were people who were weak, malnourished and ill and the bodies of those who had died had to be dealt with. The brick barracks were now turned into places where the sick could be cared for.

Liberation was welcome but this was by no means the end, as people could find they had no homes to return to. They had lost loved ones in the most horrific circumstances. In ‘Reflecting on the past, towards a Better Future’, Rabbi Warren talked about how it could be many decades before people were able to talk about what had happened to them. So great was the trauma that they would carry throughout their lives. Liberation may have meant being freed from the camp but not from the trauma and the grief.

A poem about Auschwitz was read by Sarah Orakwue and Hussain Malik, Members of UK Youth Parliament. The poem speaks about people being taken on cattle trucks into Auschwitz and how today there is denial about the Holocaust, despite the evidence which speaks of the reality of the atrocities

This year’s theme for Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘For a Better Future’ and the way to achieve this is to educate ourselves about what happened during the Holocaust and how it happened. Rochdale Youth Service has been working with young people from Smallbridge Youth Club, on the theme. During their sessions they created lanterns representing the different groups who were persecuted and murdered by the Nazis along with the Jews. The young people created very meaningful artwork about the Holocaust and also other genocides which have taken place since the Second World War. This work was on display during the commemoration.

Music and the accompaniment to a hymn for peace, was played on violin by Katie Geelen. She played as six candles were lit in remembrance of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust and all other victims of Nazi persecution.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia in 1995. Jasmin Dajic spoke movingly about having come to England as a teenage refugee needing expert medical care and how he has felt welcomed here. He said: "War does not start with bombs and bullets and grenades. They come, for sure, but – later. War starts with a pen and ends with a pen. The ammunition is ink and other things you never even thought about before.”

After Jasmin had shared his personal story, the mayor’s sonsort, Councillor Rachel Massey, lit a candle in remembrance of the victims of the genocidal massacre in Srebrenica.

Senior members of Rochdale Borough Council; council leader, Councillor Neil Emmott; leader of the Conservative group, Councillor Stephen Anstee and chief executive, Steve Rumbelow, made a statement of commitment to continue to promote Holocaust education and to hold an annual Holocaust commemoration.

In the statement it says ‘we recognise that humanity is still scarred by the belief that race, religion, disability or sexuality make some people’s lives worth less than others. Genocide, anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination still continue.’

It was acknowledged that genocide and the risk of genocide is still present throughout the world today and that there are ten stages, identified by Dr Gregory H. Stanton, whereby the risk of genocide can be recognised. If these stages are understood and recognised, steps can be taken to prevent the situation deteriorating into genocidal acts.

In his closing address, the mayor, Councillor Ahmed, said: “No race is superior to another. No group of people is superior to another.

“We cannot class these things as purely a despicable time in history. It continues to affect us today.

“It’s up to each and every one of us to counter hate and discrimination in our own small corner of the world, if we want to work towards a better future.”