Solemn Academy Held on Holocaust Remembrance Day
A Solemn Academy was held at the 'Old Fairground' Memorial Center in Belgrade on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
TL;DR
- Holocaust Remembrance Day was observed in Belgrade with a solemn academy at the 'Old Fairground' Memorial Center.
- Speakers stressed that remembrance is a moral obligation and a warning against history repeating itself, noting that the Holocaust began with words, prejudice, and indifference, not just gas chambers.
- A significant rise in antisemitism worldwide was noted, manifesting in desecration of sites, hate speech, conspiracy theories, and calls for violence.
- Combating antisemitism is seen as a continuation of preserving memory and defending basic human values, as the growth of antisemitism allows other forms of hatred to flourish.
- Belgrade has a special responsibility due to its history, with the 'Old Fairground' serving as a moral compass.
- Efforts are made to preserve the memory of Serbs, Jews, Roma, and other victims of Nazi occupation in Belgrade.
- The strong relationship between Serbian and Jewish people is based on shared history and a commitment to remembering the past.
- Belgrade is committed to implementing restitution laws for Jewish property confiscated during the Holocaust.
- 12,000 citizens of Belgrade and Banat, along with millions across Europe, were victims of the Holocaust.
- The mission of the 'Old Fairground' Memorial Center is to foster a culture of remembrance by understanding the past to better grasp the present and shape a future based on dignity.
- Belgrade was the only European capital with four Nazi camps, and Serbia was declared 'Judenfrei' (free of Jews) by the German occupation administration.
- Over 11,000 Jews from Belgrade, Banat, and Central/Southern Serbia, as well as Jewish refugees, perished during the Holocaust in Belgrade.
- The Zemun Jewish Camp at the Old Fairground saw over 6,000 women and children imprisoned, all killed by May 10, 1942.