Cameron visits Auschwitz: “I wanted to come and see it for myself”
Prime Minister David Cameron paid his first visit to the site of Nazi death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland on Wednesday, saying: “I wanted to come and see for myself.”
Cameron flew in from Turkey especially for the trip and left a written tribute, in which he said: “Words cannot describe the horror that took place here.”
He was met by museum director Piotr Cywinski and placed a candle on the UK stone of the memorial. In the museum guest book, Cameron wrote: “I wanted to come and see for myself this place where the darkest chapter of human history happened.
“Words cannot describe the horror that took place – making it even more important that we never forget.”
He added: “As Elie Wiesel said, failing to remember those who were murdered would be akin to killing them all over again.”
Cameron then noted how the survivors were becoming fewer in number and that he hoped the Holocaust Commission would teach future generations what took place there. Later, he said: “While I have talked to many Holocaust survivors about their experiences before, coming here has really brought home the terror and torture they faced. “
As I walked round the gas chamber, passed the children’s shoes and down the railway tracks, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of grief for all those who were killed simply because of their faith, their beliefs or their ethnicity.”
The visit, alongside Jewish Leadership Council chairman Mick Davis, honoured a pledge made by the Tory leader earlier this year, when he committed an extra £300,000 annually for the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET), which has taken more than 20,000 students and teachers to Auschwitz over the past 15 years. HET chief executive Karen Pollack said: “With the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of the Holocaust next year, this visit was fitting and timely.”
Cameron has spoken repeatedly about growing anti-Semitism in parts of Europe, in part influenced by events in Gaza this summer. Record numbers of French Jews have made aliyah this year, and the resurgence of far-right parties on the continent continues to give cause for concern.
[AFG_gallery id=’73’]
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
