Never forget: Holocaust Remembrance Day January 27

Each year, January 27 is designated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, to help ensure that the atrocities committed against Jews by the Nazi regime leading up to and during World War II are never forgotten and never repeated. The January date was chosen in 2005 by United Nations General Assembly resolution and aligns with the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp by Allied troops. Several countries have designated corresponding remembrances at this or other times of the year. 

“Memory does not sustain itself,” said Dani Dayan, who serves as chairman of the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) and of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, during a recent conference that brought together over 200 delegates from member and observer countries and international partners. “[Memory] depends on conscious transmission, on future generations choosing to carry it forward.” Dayan pointed out that collectively, we are at a crossroads in Holocaust remembrance as actual survivors are aging and fewer in number; those of us who knew those survivors are entrusted as custodians to carry those memories.  

Locally in southwest Missouri, one of those working to curate memories is Jim Zbick at the Faith, Family, and Country Heritage Museum in Branson West. Zbick, whose father served with the liberation forces as World War II ended, has compiled a collection of artifacts in the Holocaust Room at the Museum. He is currently researching a new acquisition, a cast iron stove made in Pennsylvania with a very distinct Star of David logo. A visit to the Museum, located at 15025 Bus. Hwy. 13 in Branson West, would be a great way to honor those who perished as well as those who served to free survivors, and to educate younger family members about the importance of vigilance regarding our freedom. Visit the Facebook page to stay up to date and plan your visit. 

Another excellent remembrance resource is the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. On January 27, the Museum will host an interview with Holocaust survivor Manfred Sigmund Gabler. “Manny,” just a year old when his parents fled Nazi persecution for the refuge of the open port of Shanghai, will share memories of growing up in the Shanghai ghetto, as a child during the war, and his family’s eventual journey to the U.S. He will be interviewed by Museum Historian Hannah Dailey, whose more than 700 interviews have contributed to a significant Oral History Collection. This event is free and open to the public, in person or online. Visit https://www.nationalww2museum.org/events-programs/events/137658-international-holocaust-remembrance-day-commemorative-program#watch to sign up.

National and world events currently serve as a sobering reminder that we must not forget how quickly atrocities can accelerate. Mark your calendar and plan to observe the January 27 remembrance. Also stay tuned for upcoming events in southwest Missouri, including a new exhibit under development at the Library Center in Springfield, to help meet the challenge of stewarding these stories. Brian Grubbs, Local History & Genealogy Manager at the Springfield-Greene County Library District, recently shared that the exhibit, Americans and the Holocaust, will be on display at the Library Center on S. Campbell Ave. in Springfield, from June 15 to July 27, 2026, so watch for details available soon about the exhibit and related special events.