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24 January 2025
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An US aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp showing the Auschwitz I camp. Photo taken 4 April 1944.
Each year since 2005, Holocaust Memorial Day is marked on 27 January. This date was chosen as it was the date on which the largest Nazi concentration camp of the Second World War was liberated in 1945 by the Soviet Army. 2025 is particularly notable as this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The theme of Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 is ‘For a Better Future’. In the intervening eight decades further holocausts have been perpetrated, for instance, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur. Holocaust Memorial Day marks all such events.
Take time to remember: Light the Darkness national moment
At 8pm on 27 January people will light candles and put them in their windows to remember those who were murdered in the Holocaust, and to stand against prejudice and hatred in today’s world. You are very welcome to join in with this act of solidarity and remembrance.
Find out more about Holocaust Memorial Day
About the Holocaust
Building on pre-Second World War antisemitism, between 1939 and 1945, 6 million Jewish men, women and children were murdered in ghettos, mass-shootings, concentration camps and death camps. Tragedies that became collectively known as the Holocaust, in Hebrew, Shoah.
Learn about the Holocaust sites of Europe, in Martin Winstone’s podcast and discover more about the history of the Holocaust in Professor David Cesarini’s recorded talks: part 1 and part 2
About Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz I, a former Army barracks, was converted into a prison camp after Germany invaded Poland. The first gassing took place there on 1 August 1941. The construction of Auschwitz II began in the Autumn of 1941 and by 1942 packed freight trains were arriving with appalling outcomes: 1.3 million people were sent to Auschwitz, of whom 1.1 million were murdered. Of the 960,000 Jewish people sent there, 865,000 were gassed on arrival.
#HolocaustMemorialDay and #LightTheDarkness.
How to trace Jewish family history
The following are useful resources to learn how to trace the family history of Jewish ancestors and the Holocaust in particular:
- The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain - for further reading explore the library catalogue for instance (which includes links to library copies and to copies to buy)
- Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Memorial Centre - which includes a database of names and biographies for 4.9 million of the 6 million victims of the Holocaust. The database is populated by information from the public. Time is of the essence as it in part relies on the memories of individuals. Do you have information that needs adding and sharing?
- Explore the database here, and search on names of family members: The database provides details such as: name, year of birth, place of residence, photograph, names of parents, and date and place of death.
