A few dozen survivors of Auschwitz-Birkenau will gather this Monday at the site of the former Nazi extermination camp in Poland, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its liberation in the final months of the Second World War. A commemoration in the presence of many international leaders, including King Charles III and President Emmanuel Macron. Here’s what we know.
What is the program for this day?
At 9 a.m. there will be a morning commemoration on site, the Auschwitz Museum describes on its website. A television studio will begin a transmission at noon, with several guests on set, “including Czech President Petr Pavel, Marshal of the Polish Senate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Google.org director for Europe , the Middle East and Africa Rowan Barnett as well as Jonathan Glazer, winner of the Oscar for his film The Area of Interest », Indicates the museum.
A ceremony will then be held between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., “under a special tent which will be erected above the entrance gate to the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp,” explains the museum. “A historic freight car, symbolizing the suffering and death of the victims, will serve as a key visual element. Survivors and heads of official delegations will light candles in front of the wagon to honor all the victims of Auschwitz,” explains the museum.
During this ceremony, around fifty survivors of the Nazi camp will speak, and “there will be no speeches from politicians,” explained Pawel Sawicki, spokesperson for the museum.
The ceremony at Auschwitz will be broadcast by Polish television and accessible to everyone online. “All institutions and organizations from around the world are invited to join the commemoration by organizing a space on their premises where the broadcast of the Memorial can be followed together,” specifies the center.
Who are the invited personalities?
In total, fifty-four international delegations will be present to mark the liberation of the site. President Emmanuel Macron, British King Charles III, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as well as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be present. Special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff will represent the United States.
-At the Paris memorial, Emmanuel Macron intends to “manifest through his presence the interest and affection he has for the survivors” who will be present, an advisor told the press. In particular, he must speak with Esther Senot, a survivor of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp who, at the age of 97, continues to testify about her deportation, particularly in front of high school students.
Heads of state, ambassadors, kings from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Sweden and New Zealand will also be present. Leaders from the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the European Parliament, NATO, the United Nations and UNESCO will also be part of the assembly.
Rumors about the possible participation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the ceremonies also sparked controversy. Last year, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister on suspicion of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
At the request of Polish President Andrzej Duda, the Polish government confirmed last month that it would not arrest Benjamin Netanyahu in the event of a visit to Auschwitz, although it appears that the Israeli leader has no intention of come. In principle, Israel should be represented by its Education Minister Yoav Kisch.
