Lewes Holocaust Memorial Day Group holds three events to mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz

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Lewes Holocaust Memorial Day Group is holding three free events this year to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Auschwitz, which was the largest of the Nazi death camps in the Second World War, was liberated on January 27, 1945.

Each year, this event is remembered on Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD), which commemorates the millions of victims the Holocaust and other genocides.

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Tim Locke, chair of the Lewes Holocaust Memorial Day Group (hmd-lewes.org), said: “We’ve been holding events in Lewes to mark HMD for ten years now, and each year we’ve had huge interest from people in Lewes, as well as wonderful support from the town and district councils.

Anita Peleg from Generation2Generation will give an illustrated talk about her mother Naomi Blake on Saturday, January 25Anita Peleg from Generation2Generation will give an illustrated talk about her mother Naomi Blake on Saturday, January 25
Anita Peleg from Generation2Generation will give an illustrated talk about her mother Naomi Blake on Saturday, January 25

"For Saturday 25 January (3pm-5pm, doors open 2.30pm, Trinity St John sub Castro Church, Lewes) we are thrilled to have two superb speakers for Holocaust Memorial Day, each with a very special connection with the HMD theme for 2025 ‘For a better future’. It’s crucial that atrocities that happened in the past are remembered, so that we can learn and take action for a better future. Anita Peleg from the charity Generation2Generation will give an illustrated talk about her mother Naomi Blake – who was deported by the Nazis to Auschwitz and forced to work in a bomb factory. Other members of her family perished in the Holocaust, but miraculously Naomi survived, only to go on a forced ‘death march’ from Auschwitz, from which she eventually managed a daring escape. Then she rebuilt her life, becoming a celebrated sculptor and settling in England. Despite the harrowing content of much Naomi’s story it has an upbeat message too.”

The volunteer group said Lewes-based history teacher Joanna Clarke of Hurst College will then talk about how she has worked with students on bringing to life the personal stories of Holocaust victims. There will also be live music from Lewes-based Movingsounds, featuring clarinet and guitar duo Michael Potter and Bjiorn Dahlberg.

On Sunday, January 26, children’s author Miriam Halahmy is set to give a double event at Depot cinema (Studio room, 11 am and 2pm; free but ticket needed from Depot booking desk or online). Miriam will talk in the morning about her novel Leaving Hanno: a Refugee Boy and his Dog, which is about a boy refugee who comes to England and has to save his dog. In he afternoon there will be an interactive writing workshop about how it feels to be a refugee in a foreign country.

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There will be a vigil at 6pm on Cliffe Bridge on Monday, January 27. Tim said: “It’s a chance for reflection and contemplation, with some readings and short speeches. Bring a lantern, and wrap up warm.”

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