The Lithuanian city of Panevėžys commemorated International Holocaust Day last Friday. January 27 is the day the United Nations chose for the memorial date as the day when Auschwitz was liberated. About 1.5 million people were murdered at this Nazi concentration camp located in Poland.

Panevėžys deputy mayor Žibutė Gaivenienė, Panevėžys regional administration deputy mayor Edmundas Toliušis, Rožynas community chairwoman Romualda Šerplienė, teachers and students from the Vyturys school and members and staff of the Panevėžys Jewish Community attended and participated in the event.

“Today the entire world commemorates International Holocaust Day. This tragedy during World War II was planned by the leadership of Nazi Germany. Innocent civilians were murdered. The whole world recognizes the Holocaust must not be forgotten. We cannot forget the people who were brutally tortured and murdered. And to those who are trying to erase this from the memory of today’s youth: for shame!” Gennady Kofman said at the commemoration.

“Today we remember also those who, risking their lives and those of their loved ones, rescued Jews from certain death,” chairman Kofman continued, presenting Vidmantas and Janina Markevičius, descendants of rescuer of Jews Juozas Markevičius who hid a Jewish family of nine people at his home with seven children of his own.

The ceremony moved to the Ghetto Gate monument, marking the spot where more than 10,000 Jews from Panevėžys and surrounding areas passed. More than 13,000 Jews were murdered in the nearby Kurganava and Žalioji forests and Staniūnai village.