Holocaust is the period of putting into prison and murdering millions of people. The death acts were made by Nazi troops and government. People from all the countries commemorate the sufferers of the Nazi power. The international Remembrance Day and the Memorial Day in Israel don’t coincide. When is Holocaust Memorial Day in 2018 in the world and Israel?
The history of the day
This day was chosen to remember the Nazi terror. When Adolf Hitler got the power in Germany and set his regime in some counties of the world, he ordered to kill Jews and gypsies. The mass killing concerned also homosexuals and disabled people. During 1933-1945 a lot of people were murdered:
- Jews (6 million);
- Gypsies (2 million);
- disabled men and women (250 000);
- homosexuals (9000).
In 2005 the General Assembly decided to commemorate their lives in official way. In 1945 the concentration camps were liberated so it was the 60th anniversary. Generally, Holocaust lasted for 12 years. The liberation date was on 27th January. This day was chosen as a memorial day.
So, when is Holocaust Memorial Day in 2018? It is on 27th January. The date is accepted in many countries in the world:
- the United Kingdom;
- other parts of the European Union.
Generally, the Jewish community commemorates the death of millions compatriots during the Nazi control at another date. January, 27th was marked as the day of the opposition of anti-Semitism. If you write the request in the Internet “What day Holocaust Memorial Day in 2018 in Israel?”, you get the answer “on 24th April”.
Israel has the same day named as Yom HaShoah. It is a national day. It was held in 1953 for the first time. Jewish day does not have the strict date. It shifts every year. It is usually in April or May, depending on the calendar. Jewish people consider the 27th day of Nissan.
Other countries hold Holocaust Memorial Day on other days:
- the United States (8th May);
- Bulgaria (10th March);
- Austria (5th May);
- France (16th July);
- Romania (9th October);
- Serbia (22nd April) and so on.
Some countries have a national memorial day.
Traditions of the Memorial Day
Usually many events are organized throughout the world. Public organizations make different plans for commemorating the day. People try to think over their lives while watching films and exhibitions. This day the public talk about protection of human rights. People commemorate Holocaust on 27th January. The next day is the day of signing the Declaration of Human rights.
In different countries the liturgies are held in the churches. Museums and libraries all over the world hold meetings and exhibitions. There are a lot of talk-shows devoted to Holocaust. The guests are the eyewitnesses and their children. There are a lot of educational events devoted to that awful time.
Israel does not seem to have special traditions of commemorating the date. What is the date of Holocaust Memorial Day 2018? According to the Jewish calendar, it will be on 24th April. This national commemorating day is rather new, so it has not denoted the strict way of holding.
Nevertheless, the Jewish usually light the candles on that day. It is appropriate to light 6 candles, each for one million victims of the Nazi cruel treatment. People usually read poems, pray and sing on that day. People, who survived in the Holocaust, talk about their feeling and fear, describe their life in concentration camps.
The name of victims are read at the Holocaust Memorial or in the local cemetery during Yom Hashoaah. They are recorded in the Book of Names. The ceremony usually takes a lot of time to give the public an understanding of impressive tragedy and adamantine wish of life in those awful times.
The main thing that is always kept is siren sounding. On 27th Nissan it is forbidden to attend entertaining events. At 10 o’clock siren is held, people stop their acts and commemorate murdered victims of Holocaust.
Common facts of Holocaust
People from many countries know many facts about Holocaust. They try to tell their children about the horror of the days under the Nazi’s rule. The most common facts of the Holocaust are:
- The period began in 1933 in January from the beginning of Hitler’s era.
- The most numerous murders took place in Ukraine, in Babi Yar. In 1941 in the beginning of autumn Nazi killed more than 30 thousand people during 2 days.
- Nazi government ordered to kill children. The aim was to prevent building a new generation. Over one million children were killed during that awful period.
- Gas cameras were the killing houses. To prevent the people’s horror, Nazi told the Jews that they would be washed. They even created groups of prisoners which reassured Jews.
- The Auschwitz complex was the place where the amount of murdered people was more than a million.
- Cattle wagons were used for transporting people to the camps. The longest route took 20 days, so at the end of it a lot of people died.
- Sex and marriage were restricted by the Hitler’s law in 1935.
- Children, pregnant women, old and sick people were not allowed to enter the death camps. They were immediately killed.
- Radiation was used to sterilize the Jews.
- After 1945 the Germans were forced to watch the bodies of murdered people. They had to know what Nazi had done.
“When is Holocaust Memorial Day in 2018, calendar of Jews?” It will be on the 24th of April. The general commemoration day is on the 27th of January.