Liberation of the Auschwitz camp: 80 years later, nothing is certain and vigilance is essential

EDITED

80 years ago, on January 27, 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp and killing center from Nazi Germany during World War II. That day, we discovered the horror in this camp, sadly known as the largest extermination center. Built in April 1940, on the initiative of Heinrich Himmler, it was one of the essential elements of the Nazis’ “Final Solution” aimed at exterminating mainly Jews, but also political opponents, resistance fighters, etc.

In 5 years, more than 1.1 million men, women and children were put to death at Auschwitz in gas chambers or shot. Several victims also died due to illness, malnutrition, mistreatment or even medical experiments.

Testimonies and history must teach us the lucidity necessary to do everything to block the way for the enemies of humanity.

This January 27, 2025, we will commemorate this sad memory of the liberation of the Auschwitz camp and we will pay tribute to all the victims and all the survivors, not only those who passed through the German camp in Poland, but also those who knew the other concentration camps. We must work to perpetuate the memory of the 6 million Jews, victims of the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945.

Today, there are not many survivors or witnesses who can still report the horror and chaos of Auschwitz. These memory smugglers disappear over time. But the testimonies they left and history must teach us the lucidity necessary to do everything to block the way for the enemies of humanity. How could individuals have developed and put into practice such a dark plan to exterminate Jews or anyone who did not agree with their disastrous project?

At a time when anti-Semitic acts, racism or refusal of difference are increasing and the extremes are strengthening, the mobilization of democrats and defenders of fundamental rights must be stronger and more marked to thwart any attempt to promote withdrawal. on oneself, intolerance or war. Because nothing is certain and those nostalgic for this dark past of humanity will always work for its resurgence.

The mobilization of democrats and defenders of fundamental rights must be stronger and more marked to thwart any attempt to promote withdrawal, intolerance or war.

Of course, our democracies are not perfect, they can certainly be improved. But they are not compatible with systems advocating hatred of others and the denial of fundamental rights (freedom of expression, equality before the law, right to participate in the affairs of the city, right to life, freedom of thought , freedom of religion, etc.).

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