International Holocaust Remembrance Day

From the Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs

On January 27, the world observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day. #OnThisDay, 8️⃣0️⃣ years ago, during the Vistula-Oder Offensive (https://t.me/MFARussia/18732), the Red Army’s 1st Ukrainian Front led by USSR Marshal Ivan Konev liberated (https://t.me/MFARussia/23600) the prisoners of Auschwitz-Birkenau (Oswiecim), the largest Nazi concentration camp.

In memory of the Holocaust tragedy, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution (https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/559922/files/A_RES_60_7-EN.pdf) in November 2005, co-authored by the Russian Federation, proclaiming January 27 as a day of remembrance for the millions of victims of the Nazi genocide — Jews, Roma, Slavs and members of other ethnic groups.

The Nazi regime’s systematic policy of exterminating peoples deemed undesirable by Hitler’s Germany resulted in the ruthless murder of over 6 million Jews, along with millions of others.

In January 1942, during the Wannsee Conference, the Third Reich’s senior officials approved the so-called “Final solution to the Jewish question”, which aimed to annihilate 11 million Jews. That same year, the Nazi leadership finalised the Generalplan Ost, which called for the “relocation” or extermination of over 30 million Slavs and the “Germanisation” of Eastern Europe.

📄 The full extent of the Holocaust’s horrors became known to the general public after the liberation of Nazi concentration camps in 1945. Irrefutable evidence of genocide, including documentary materials, survivor testimonies and confessions from the Nazis themselves, were presented during the Nuremberg Trials (1945-1946). Key Nazi leaders, including those directly involved in the Holocaust organisation and execution, were convicted and sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

Today we honour all victims of the Holocaust and the bravery of the Red Army soldiers who liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

Around the world, Jewish organisations lead commemorative events marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, emphasising the urgency of combating xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance. In Russia, the Holocaust Remembrance Week, organised by the Russian Jewish Congress, is being held for the 11th time this year, running from January 15 to 31.

🙏 These commemorative events help preserve the historical truth about the atrocities of World War II, remind of the Red Army’s liberation of Auschwitz, and honour the heroism of all peoples of the former USSR and their role saving Jews and other peoples across Europe. Representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry traditionally take part in these events.

Vladimir Putin’s Statement

✉️ President of Russia Vladimir Putin sent greetings (http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/76164) to the participants and guests of the memorial ceremony commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day and marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of prisoners from the Auschwitz-Birkenau (Oswiecim) concentration camp by the Red Army (January 27, 2025)

The message reads, in part:

✍️ International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a sorrowful date of profound moral and humanitarian significance. In January 1945, the Red Army liberated (https://t.me/MFARussia/23600?single) the Auschwitz concentration camp, unveiling to the world the horrifying truth of the atrocities committed by the Nazis and their collaborators, who annihilated millions of Jews, Russians, Roma, and people of many other nationalities.

❗️ We will always honour the memory of the Soviet soldiers who defeated this horrific, all-encompassing evil and secured a Victory whose magnitude will forever be etched in the annals of world history.

The citizens of Russia are the direct descendants and heirs of the victorious generation. We will steadfastly and resolutely oppose any attempts to alter the legal and moral judgment passed on the Nazi executioners and their collaborators. We are committed to protecting the rights of individuals to their ethnic, linguistic, and spiritual identity, while actively fighting against the spread of anti-Semitism, Russophobia, and other forms of racist ideologies.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who remain dedicated to preserving historical truth and combatting neo-Nazi revanchism. Their contributions, driven by a deep sense of purpose, play a crucial role in this significant work, which is especially important in the year marking the 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory.

I hope that the Russian Jewish community and the organisers of the traditional memorial events for International Holocaust Remembrance Day will continue their multifaceted efforts to promote the values of humanism, harmony, and civil peace