The Holocaust Memorial Memorial Day Trust theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 is ‘One Day’.
Newcastle’s enlightening and thought-provoking Holocaust Memorial Day programme is being delivered by a range of community groups and organisations and is based on their interpretation of the theme One Day.
The full programme in January and February can be found here.
Why Holocaust Memorial Day is so important
Holocaust Memorial Day takes place every year on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by allied troops. It is a day to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust and the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur and which continue today, most recently in Myanmar.
It is a time to learn from the lessons of the past and recognise that genocide doesn’t just happen – it is a process that begins when racism and hatred are not checked and prevented. In the UK we are fortunate not to be at immediate risk of genocide, but hatred and discrimination still exist.
Newcastle events, activities and reflections
The programme of events up to and beyond Holocaust Memorial day is the City and region’s opportunity to reflect and remember all those who have been victims of the Holocaust and genocides across the world.
Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration is a film presented by the Representative Council of North East Jewry. This film focuses on Kristallnacht, 24 hours in November 1938, One Day when the world changed forever.
There are a range of photography exhibitions, including, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (Newcastle City Library until 3 February), concerts, talks, commemorative events, film screenings and radio broadcasts.
There is also a Commemorative Tree Planting today at the Civic Centre, with the Association of Jewish Refugges and the Lord Mayor and local faith leaders. The video of the event will be available on the City Council’s facebook page. There is also a lecutre tonight at 5pm on Holocaust victims’ experience of time in the ghettos, camps and after liberation, at Newcastle City Library.
More events continuing into February include:
- Jewish life on Tyneside and the Second World War: Fri 28 Jan, 10.30am and 1.30pm at Discovery Museum. An exploration of Jewish life on Tyneside from 18th century to the current day. The session will include a short gallery tour, object sharing session and other stories from Tyneside life during the Second World War
- Brundibar Arts Festival, The Opera: 6pm 30 Jan, 2pm 10 Feb 2pm at Hall 2, Sage Gateshead. The Festival is named after the shildren’s opera written by Hans Krasa and performed in the Terezin concentration camp, in honour of all those who suffered and perished. Tickets are available at sagegateshead.com
- The Butterfly – Craft Session, Saturday 29 January, 11am to 3pm – Discovery Museum. This drop in session invites people of all ages to take inspiration from Pavel Friedmann’s poem ‘The Butterfly’ to create a kaleidoscope display of butterflies for Holocaust Memorial Day. Pavel wrote The Butterfly at Theresienstadt concentration camp on 4 June 1942. On 29 September 1944 he was deported to Auschwitz where he died.
- Brundibar Arts Festival – Closing Concert: Wednesday 2 February, 7pm – Kings Hall, Newcastle University. A concert dedicated to Alma Rose, a talented violinist related to Gustav Mahler and sent to Auschwitz, where she conducted an orchestra in the camp which played to save their lives. Tickets are available at brundibarartsfestival.com or on the door
- An Introduction to the Lahav Jewish Heritage Project: February (dates to be announced), Tyne and Wear Museums. The Lahav Jewish Heritage Project is a new project set up to collect, preserve and celebrate the rich history of the Jewish community in North East England and in Tyne & Wear in particular, from the 1700s to the present day. The project is managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Newcastle Libraries in partnership with members of the Jewish community. It was made possible by a generous bequest from the Ron Lahav Marital Trust (from which the project takes its name) to Newcastle City Council in 2017.