Chaos Surrounds 80th Anniversary of Bergen-Belsen Liberation as Protests Erupt
Demonstrations Planned at Memorial Service in Bergen-Belsen - Anticipated Demonstrations at Bergen-Belsen Memorial Event
Marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, a storm of controversy is brewing over the selection of speakers slated to attend. "Protests are gaining traction in relation to the memorial service," the Lower Saxony state chancellery admitted.
The event on Sunday will feature individual survivors addressing the crowd. However, the association of Bergen-Belsen survivors in Israel has accused the organizers of intentionally shunning their organization. Arie Olewski, the association's chairman, vocalized his disapproval, denouncing the event as a "political desecration of Bergen-Belsen for the first time in eight decades." According to Olewski, his group intends to post signs of dissent at the memorial site's entrance.
56 survivors to be the center of attention
Olewski also criticized the modest scale of the ceremony, expecting a "grand event" with hundreds of families in attendance. Contrastingly, the organizers confirmed that 56 survivors and their relatives will be the focal point, with both the federal and state governments footing the travel and accommodation expenses for survivors and one companion each.
Moreover, protests are directed toward the Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor and Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, both scheduled to deliver welcoming addresses. A survivor has announced intentions to stand up and abandon the event during these speeches.
Government spokeswoman: Commemoration must take place with decorum
Further protests, according to a state government spokeswoman, will occur on the Anne Frank Square, not on the memorial site grounds. "Protests are not being suppressed, but the memorial service should take place as serenely and with as much gravity as possible," she declared.
The organizers urge that the remembrance remains undisturbed. "Whilst championing freedom of speech, we demand respect for the deceased," they expressed, implying they will prevent any disruptive demonstrations.
The Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was liberated by the British Army on April 15, 1945. Though nearly 53,000 people were freed, many arrived at a critical juncture. Anne Frank, the diarist, is among those interned in one of the mass graves. Overall, roughly 52,000 individuals perished in the camp, and an additional 18,000 shortly after liberation in the adjacent prisoner-of-war camp.
- Bergen-Belsen
- Commemoration
- Anniversary
- Protests
- Memorial site
- Hanover
- Sunday
- Israel
[1] Goldfinger, Gena Speaks at Bergen-Belsen Commemoration[2] Leaders Remember Bergen-Belsen 80 Years On – Westminister.gov.UK[3] Bergen-Belsen 80th Anniversary: Commemoration Events Around the World[5] Holocaust Memorial: Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper Deliver Moving Tributes – The Guardian
- The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp has been met with protests, as criticisms about the selection of speakers and the modest scale of the ceremony intensify.
- On Sunday, the memorial site in Hanover will host a memorial service, featuring individual survivors addressing the crowd, while protests are planned to take place on Anne Frank Square, not on the memorial site's grounds.
- A Bergen-Belsen survivor's association in Israel has accused the organizers of intentionally shunning their organization, with the chairman, Arie Olewski, publicly denouncing the event as a "political desecration of Bergen-Belsen."
- Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor and Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner have been particularly targeted in the protests, with a survivor intending to stand up and abandon the event during their speeches.
- The federal and state governments have reportedly agreed to foot travel and accommodation expenses for 56 survivors and one companion each, making them the focal point of the event.
