6th November 2023
Listen
Listen
The 27th of January 2026 will mark 81 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. This year we mark 80 years since lives started to be rebuilt, families reunited, and the horror of what happened in the Holocaust was slowly processed.
Throughout 2025, I had the pleasure of representing the Holocaust Educational Trust at a range of events and commemorations. I have worked with the charity since 2023, and was honoured to work with the Trust throughout such a crucial year. These are my reflections on the 80th Anniversary year.
My first event of 2025 was the Holocaust Memorial Day Reception in Parliament. This is an annual highlight, as it connects our work to national government. It serves as a reminder of the role that governments play in ensuring the legacy of the Holocaust is protected on a country-wide scale.
At the 2025 reception, I had the honour of hearing the testimony of survivor Renee Salt. It’s not easy for survivors to relive their trauma through testimony, and Renee’s words were truly powerful. We also heard from historian Laurence Rees and education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
In April, we lost our dear friend Eve Kugler. She was the first Holocaust Survivor whose testimony I ever heard as part of my Lessons From Auschwitz Project. She told me about her experiences of Kristallnacht, fleeing to France and eventually securing a visa to America where she lived for much of her life. Eve spoke candidly about her experiences not just in the Holocaust, but as an adult sharing her testimony. You can read her family’s story here:
http://www.shatteredcrystals.net
April marked 80 years since the British liberated Bergen-Belsen. The Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women invited HET to join their delegation at the 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen. This was truly one of the most unique days of my life. We flew to Germany and back in one day, taking the opportunity to learn more about the history of Bergen-Belsen as we travelled.
We participated in a large international commemoration service, and a British Service which was similar to the Remembrance Sunday services we hold across the UK in November. As part of the youth delegation, I had the opportunity to talk with German School students about their experience of learning about the Holocaust. This was really fascinating. While we imagine in the UK that Germany must have an excellent standard of teaching on the Holocaust, these students who live on the doorstep of Bergen-Belsen questioned how routine and simple their lessons can be. We all agreed in the importance of teaching the Holocaust accurately and in-depth. It shouldn’t be a box to tick, the Holocaust needs to be given full attention.
At the end of June, I had the pleasure of hosting the Ambassador Conference. It’s a chance for Ambassadors and school students to hear from a range of speakers on topics relating to the Holocaust. My personal highlights included discovering the psychology of the Nazi mind from Lawrence Rees, learning about how the Holocaust impacted Wales from Dr Emily Smith, and hearing from Zoom Rockman and Ivor Perl about their animation ‘Survivor’.
AmCon shows us the power of hundreds of young people coming together to commemorate the Holocaust. It equips us with specialist knowledge that we can share with our communities, and allows us to build connections across the UK.
Every year HET hosts an Appeal Dinner to bring together the charity’s donors. My highlight was hearing from Deborah Lipstadt. Lipstadt is a formidable historian. She sued for libel by the antisemitic Holocaust denier David Irving, who she referenced in her book ‘Denying the Holocaust’. This landmark case laid the foundation for the protection of the memory in the UK courts, as her claims against Irving were found to be true.
I remember learning about Lipstadt during history in Year 8, so hearing her speak was one of the biggest highlights of my year. I was really touched that she took the time to meet us Ambassadors and find out about our work.
In November we sadly lost Manfred Goldberg MBE. Manfred was a familiar and friendly face at HET events, and I had the pleasure of spending time with him.
Manfred was born in Kassel, Germany, in 1930. His family were deported to the Riga Ghetto in 1941, and he was later imprisoned in Stutthof and its subcamps. Manfred’s testimony will live on through the Trust’s Testimony 360 program.
‘Testimony 360 is a free digital education programme from the Holocaust Educational Trust that combines digital eyewitness testimony with virtual reality, revolutionising access to Survivor Testimony and providing an invaluable opportunity for students learning about the Holocaust.’
I had the pleasure of trying Testimony 360 in July at AmCon, and was absolutely astonished by its accuracy and how immersive it was. You use VR to visit sites connected to a survivor’s life, and then have the chance to speak to a survivor and ask them questions. Their answers were recorded over many days, and an algorithm can now match you with the closest answer in their bank. While I was able to speak to the real Manfred about his answers, knowing his testimony is preserved forever is a great comfort.
You can find out more about Testimony 360 here: https://www.het.org.uk/testimony360-signup
After a rewarding year, last week I once again visited Parliament to participate in this year’s HMD Reception in Parliament. It was a great moment to catch up with friends, and to reflect on the last year with HET. We’ve all relished in the opportunity to participate in such a landmark year for Holocaust Education. My work with HET has been a privilege, as I have learnt from some of the greatest educators currently working, and met some of the most inspiration people to ever live.
This Holocaust Memorial Day, it is important to ensure that we listen to our survivors. We need to hear what they have to say, and take action. Antisemitism is on the rise, and people take to social media and the streets to defame the memory of the Holocaust. We must all do our part to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.
In 2023, Eve Kugler told me the one message she wishes she could share is ‘Do not let the history die’. I hope more than anything that we can uphold her wish.
To learn more about Auschwitz, please click here: https://www.liverpoolguildstudentmedia.co.uk/2025/01/29/the-liberation-of-auschwitz-holocaust-memorial-day-2025/
