Holocaust survivor’s memorial bench destroyed in ‘despicable’ Manchester attack
Police investigate vandalism of audio bench preserving Auschwitz survivor Chaim Ferster’s testimony
A memorial bench preserving the testimony of Holocaust survivor Chaim Ferster z”l has been destroyed in a Manchester park, in what Jewish organisations and family members have condemned as a targeted act of antisemitic hatred.
The audio solar bench, installed in Clowes Park in Salford in 2019, allowed members of the public to listen to recordings of Ferster describing his survival of eight Nazi concentration and death camps. It was placed along the route of his regular daily walks and was intended as a permanent public record of his testimony.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed to Jewish News that the incident has been reported, a crime has been recorded, and officers are investigating.
Reacting to the destruction, Chaim’s grandson Marc Ferster said the damage went far beyond vandalism.
“This was not an ordinary bench. It was an audio bench, created so that anyone who wished could sit, listen, and hear my grandfather tell his story in his own words,” he wrote. “It was placed in his favourite spot in the park – the place where he would regularly walk with his beloved dog, Blue.”
“Seeing it vandalised is painful, not because of the physical damage but because of what it represents. It is a stark reminder that antisemitism is not confined to history books or memorial days. It is present, it is real, and it is increasingly finding expression within our society.”
The Fed’s My Voice Holocaust Storyteller Project, which works to preserve survivor testimony, said the attack was an attempt to intimidate and silence remembrance.
“The audio bench preserved his wartime experiences, allowing members of the public to listen to parts of his stories. If these Jew haters who destroyed Chaim’s bench think they can intimidate us, they are wrong. We are not Jews with trembling knees, and we will continue to confront them – and to tell the stories of our brave and special Holocaust Survivors – no matter what they attack us with.”
The Community Security Trust (CST) said the damage appeared deliberate and warned of the wider impact on the Jewish community.
“This is a particularly disturbing act of vandalism that looks targeted, due to the effort that must have been involved, and comes at a time of heightened antisemitism,” a CST spokesperson said. “Holocaust memorials exist to preserve the memories of those who were murdered and to educate future generations about where hatred can lead, and this damage will be especially upsetting for the Jewish community and for the family of Chaim Ferster, the Holocaust survivor whose story was part of this memorial.”
CST urged anyone with information to contact the police.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews described the incident as “an apparent act of antisemitic hatred and deliberate attack on the memory and human dignity of Holocaust survivor Chaim Ferster z”l”.
“We expect those responsible to be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the Board said. “Acts like this must be treated with utmost seriousness. Such hate must not be shrugged off unchallenged.”
Ferster, who died aged 94, survived the Holocaust before settling in Manchester, where he became a tireless educator, speaking to thousands of schoolchildren across the country. The memorial bench was designed to ensure his testimony remained publicly accessible and to confront future generations with the consequences of hatred.
Police enquiries are ongoing.
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