Watch: Guernsey marks Holocaust Memorial Day

Tuesday 28 January 2020

The 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was marked in Guernsey, with a service to remember those who were sent to the extermination camp and other concentration camps during the Occupation.

Much of the island's Jewish Community, alongside many others looking to show their support, gathered at the Whiterock yesterday, to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Starting at the plaque remembering foreign workers who died in Guernsey during the Occupation, the service was led by Guernsey's Dean, Tim Barker, who asked for a moment of silence at each of the plaques. 

The service later moved to the two plaques commemorating both 'The Guernsey Eight', and the three Jewish women taken from Guernsey to Aushwitz-Birkenau, where they all perished. There, the mourners' Kaddish was read by a member of the local Jewish community, John Peters.

"Holocaust Memorial Day is a time when we should recognise that genocide does not just take place on its own," Reverend Barker said. "We are lucky here in Guernsey that we are not at risk of genocide, but the language of discrimination and hate still exist, and there is lots more to do." 

Reverend Barker also said the day was a time to renew your commitment to battling against hate.

Pictured: Wreaths were laid by Richard McMahon, the Deputy Bailiff, and other members of the community. 

The Deputy Bailiff, Richard McMahon, laid a wreath at each plaque, and members of the community joined him with their own wreaths at both the commemoration for The Guernsey Eight and the three Jewish women. 

The Guernsey Eight were all people who died as a result of defiance to the German Occupation during the war. Each of them were sent to prison camps for their disobedience, and all but one of their names can be found on the plaque by the North Beach. One of the families wished for their details to be kept private. 

Pictured: Three women living in Guernsey were deported to France by the Germans. 

The three women commemorated on the other plaque were all Jewish residents of Guernsey who were deported to France by the Germans, and later died in Aushwitz-Birkenau. Their names were Marianne Grunfeld, Auguste Spitz and Therese Steiner. 

Following the memorial service, people were invited back to Town Church, where another service was held, accompanied by singing and dancing performed by the Arts Commission, the College of Further Education, the Guernsey Music Centre and The Ladies' College. 

Holocaust commemorative dance from Bailiwick Express on Vimeo.

Pictured top: The Dean, Tim Barker, led the service.