World marks 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation

World marks 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation

OSWIECIM
World marks 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation

The world marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Jan. 27, with some of the few remaining survivors attending ceremonies at the site of the notorious Nazi death camp.

Auschwitz was the largest of the extermination camps and has become a symbol of Nazi Germany's genocide of six million European Jews, one million of whom died at the site between 1940 and 1945, along with more than 100,000 non-Jews.

Yesterday morning, Polish President Andrzej Duda laid flowers at the site alongside survivors, some wearing scarves in the blue-and-white stripes of their death camp uniforms.

Around 50 survivors attended the main commemoration outside the gates of Auschwitz II-Birkenau alongside dozens of leaders, including Britain's King Charles III and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Survivors around the world spoke about the need to preserve the memory of what happened when there will no longer be living witnesses.

They also warned about rising hatred and anti-Semitism around the world and spoke of their fears about history repeating itself.

Organisers said it could be the last major anniversary with such a large group of survivors.

Auschwitz was created in 1940 using barracks in Oswiecim, southern Poland. Its name was Germanised into Auschwitz by the Nazis.

The first 728 Polish political prisoners arrived on June 14 of that year.

On Jan. 17, 1945, as Soviet troops advanced, the SS forced 60,000 emaciated prisoners to walk west in what became known as the "Death March."

From January 21-26, the Germans blew up the Birkenau gas chambers and crematoria and withdrew as Soviet troops approached.

On Jan. 27, Soviet troops arrived, finding 7,000 survivors.

The day of its liberation has been designated by the United Nations as Holocaust Remembrance Day.