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Holocaust Memorial Day, 27th January 2024

For this year's Holocaust Memorial Day, I thought I would share an experience I had last year that I felt extremely privileged to have the opportunity to do. On this Holocaust Memorial Day, it's important we remember, we have the conversation, we make proactive changes and take tangible steps to create safe and comfortable communities.  

 

Last year I had the privilege to go to Poland with the Holocaust Educational Trust on the ‘Lessons from Auschwitz Universities’ project. Truly, it was one of the best experiences of my life, certainly whilst being President of Winchester Student Union and on this year's Holocaust Memorial Day I felt like it would be nice to share my experiences and lessons I learnt from it.  

 

This took place in May last year and was an experience in two parts. On the first day I was up in London in Stansted meeting other participants in the programme from various institutions. They stemmed from numerous institutions (not just Universities) they were also from other education providers or businesses in the sector and wanted to learn about what role they could play to bring attention and education towards antisemitism and the experiences of those in the Holocaust. There were other officers there, students from various education providers, NUS representatives and staff. We were split into discussion groups and throughout the day met as a group to talk about many different themes and ask each other key questions.  

 

  1. What were we hoping to get out of the day? 

  1. What knowledge did we already have about the Holocaust? 

  1. How did we feel about a particular theme/speaker? 

  1. What did we want to take away from the experience? 

 

We also heard directly from a survivor and whilst it was awful to hear about her experience and the ordeal, she and her family experienced it was equally extremely important to hear directly from her about their experiences and how inhumane some of the conditions were. We then heard from UJS (Union of Jewish Students) about their experiences on campus and what their members and what they themselves have had to deal with. This was really thought provoking as it made me think about our own campus and what we could do to create a more inclusive environment to allow our Jewish students to feel seen. It is sad that as a student movement we haven’t universally created spaces were students feel safe and accepted but it was great to hear about the communities' Jewish students have built in JSocs around the world and the great work they have done around the country and continue to do.  

 

On Day 2 and after a 3am wakeup call later, I jumped on a plane at Stansted and flew to Poland. We first went to a local town which used to be home to a large Jewish community and walked through the town, marking where synagogues and community spaces used to be. We talked more widely about the importance of the synagogue and how much of these reduced both during the war and after. It did feel like we were walking through a shadow of what once was and although the place was lovely, from hearing the history I did feel like something was missing. We were taken on this tour by a local rabbi who came with us on the rest of our journey and often on the coach would point out what used to be there and tell us stories about the community before the war. You can see a theme was emerging here and this only became more prevalent later in the day.  

 

We then visited Auschwitz 1. I know, I naively didn’t realise there was more than 1 either. I also didn’t realise how big it was and how much it has become a tourist destination. This at first made me feel uneasy as you were surrounded by people with cameras but then I realised how important it is to still have these places, so these events are not forgotten, almost to mark a memory and to signify the injustice of these events. We then spent the next few hours walking around, we visited chambers and houses where the prisoners would have been kept. We learnt about the day-to-day chores they would have been tasked with, where they would have been punished and even more brutally where they would have been killed. This was harrowing to experience as you could only imagine the horror these people went through, and it felt uneasy to stand there many years later.  

 

We saw various items that were recovered after the war. I think this is one of the things I found most difficult. There were clothing, luggage tags, kitchen items, hair as well as other personal items that either were stripped of them, or they were lured into a false sense of security and wouldn’t have known they would never get it back again. We also saw a book of names of those who died in the Holocaust (although it will never be a complete list). Around the room we were surrounded by pictures of families and stories, and you learnt different snippets about different people and who they were which was nice to hear about. Before we left Auschwitz 1, we visited a gas chamber. This wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, but I was shocked at the size and eeriness of these chambers, and I think it was an uncomfortable experience for everyone involved.  

 

We then headed over to Auschwitz 2 which had a lot less infrastructure as a lot of it had been destroyed by the Nazis towards the end of the war. Here we learnt a lot more about their living habits and the in humane treatment they endured including lack of food, water and doing basic human things like using the toilet and washing. Towards the end of the day, we went to the site where there would have been mass graves and more broadly talked about the effect the Holocaust had on humanity not just the Jewish community. The whole day felt very personal and private but was encompassed by an overwhelming sadness and disappointment in humanity. At the end of the day, we had a ceremony to mourn the dead and their families. We read readings, listened to prayers and laid candles. This was extremely moving with some of the group having lost family members in the Holocaust. As I got back on the coach, I felt exhausted, not just by the long day but because of the emotions that I had experienced throughout the day and my mind truly did feel heavy and confused. Confused as to what I felt and confused as to what I could do next! 

 

Looking back, a year later I truly feel privileged that I got to experience that. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I would truly encourage anyone to go if they get the chance. I think I have a had a lot of time to reflect both for me as an individual but also for the students that I represent here in Winchester and what I can do for them. I think I have learnt a lot about small things we can do to make students feel seen and to create those safe spaces. Nobody should experience discrimination or feel unsafe in our student community, everyone is welcome, and I think as a Union we can do more to acknowledge that. One small step (very small) is acknowledging the event and our privilege. It was really important to me to share this and to mark Holocaust Memorial Day this year to hopefully help even one student feel seen and for me to share my experience. I think as a Winchester community we all have a duty to help one another and so any lessons or ideas that can be gained from this then please let me know. We need to be more open and honest about our history and spread the message about events like this so as to educate ourselves. Unfortunately, we are the last generation that can hear directly from survivors and so it's our job to spread the word and to remember the Holocaust and the horrors that happened there. I know it has and continues to give me a lot to think about.  

 

“Remember only that I was innocent and, just like you, mortal on that day, I, too, had had a face marked by rage, by pity and joy, quite simply, a human face!” Benjamin Fondane, murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau, 1944.  

 

Charlotte Baker – President of Winchester Student Union 2022 - 2024 

General information

 

Holocaust Memorial Day is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. It is observed on the 27th of January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. 

2024 theme – Fragility of Freedom 

Freedom means different things to different people. What is clear is that in every genocide that has taken place, those who are targeted for persecution have had their freedom restricted and removed, before many of them are murdered. This is often a subtle, slow process. The ten stages of genocide, as identified by Professor Gregory Stanton, demonstrate that genocide never just happens. There is always a set of circumstances which occur, or which are created, to build the climate in which genocide can take place and in which perpetrator regimes can remove the freedoms of those they are targeting. 

Freedom is fragile and it cannot be taken for granted. Here are some examples of ways in which the freedoms of people targeted during genocide are restricted, showing how fragile freedom is and how we must not be complacent about it. 

  • Freedom of religion and freedom to self-identify 

  • Freedom of reproduction 

  • Freedom of movement 

  • Freedom of expression 

  • Freedom to live 

National Campaign – Light the Darkness 

Each year people from across the UK take part in the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s Light the Darkness national moment for Holocaust Memorial Day. 

At 8pm on 27 January people across the nation will light candles and put them safely in their windows to: 

  • remember those who were murdered for who they were 

  • stand against prejudice and hatred today 

Iconic buildings and landmarks will light up in purple during this powerful national moment of commemoration and solidarity. 

How to take part as an individual 

Place a candle safely in your window at 8pm on 27 January (disclaimer, please do not light candles in University student accommodation). 

How to get involved 

If you are unable to light a candle in your window, want to find out how you can get involved, or all of the above, here are some ways in which you can get involved to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day: 

Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) 2024 UK Ceremony 

  • Hosted by the Holocuast Memorial Day Trust, find out more information and register here. 

Local events 

  • You can utilise a ‘Find an Activity’ tool here to find local activities near you. 

University of Winchester podcast 

  • The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 is Fragility of Freedom. To mark this, modern historian Dr Emily Stiles and Philosophy of Education research student Lucy Dixon explored the concept of freedom past and present in an engaging podcast. Emily is an expert in Holocaust memory and representation and has worked with the Imperial War Museum, while Lucy’s research focusses on the role and complicity of women in Nazi Germany. 

  • To listen, click here. 

 

Have a passion for equality, diversity, and inclusion?

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Become a One Winchester Rep!

One Winchester Reps 

We have our One Winchester representatives who are part of the Student Union’s wider equality work, including One Winchester and other outreach, activities and events. They work closely with the Student Union President to improve and grow equality and diversity in the University. This role is all about bringing creative and fresh ideas to benefit the wider University community. Our reps meet once and month and keep regular contact with our student groups, this is a collaborative scheme that aims to tackle EDi challenges with support from the Student Union. 

One Winchester Representatives tackle EDI challenges with support from the Student Union. From the first One Winchester meeting of the year, several areas for action were discovered, these include: 

  • Accessibility 

  • Mental Health 

  • Our Space 

  • Disability 

  • Cost of Living 

  • Student Groups 

Following on from this meeting, we also wanted to signpost some of the fantastic (opportunities) on offer that students may find useful. The following topics were also highlighted at the first One Winchester meeting, and we want to make sure that our provisions for these subjects are accessible as possible.  

Budgeting/Cost of Living

  • Take a look at our 'How to budget' article for tips on how to budget, helpful resources, and more!
  • We also have our Cost of Living Hub, providing you with tips & tricks, as well as provisions and resources to navigate the CoL crisis.
    • This includes events such as the Aldi Shuttle Bus, The Breakfast club and more!
    • And also provisions such as 'The Bookcase' Community Food Pantry, microwaves on campus and blogs.
  • Students and Money also offer sessions

Student Groups