On Holocaust Memorial Day, I take time to reflect and commemorate the six million Jewish men, women, and children who lost their lives, and all those who died under the rule of Nazi Germany. Holocaust Memorial Day is a day in which we must seek to remember that such events happen as a result of the fostering of division, the alienisation of others, and when people turn away from the plight and suffering.
At Portcullis House, I was profoundly moved by the ‘In Their Footsteps’ exhibition, which featured a large table covered in pairs of worn and decayed footwear. The significance of this was explained to me by a Holocaust survivor, who stated that the owning of a pair of shoes meant the possibility of not being sent to the gas chamber was greater, as well as the help shoes provided on the treacherous marches to Auschwitz. Another Holocaust survivor noted how they were vital for the hiding of items, many of which proved vital for survival.
We must never forget the Holocaust.
