The son of the man known as ‘Britain’s Schindler’ is set to give the keynote speech at the Holocaust Memorial Day event in Leeds, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
The event, presided over by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung, will be held at City Varieties at 2pm on Sunday, January 26. With all seats reserved, this year’s gathering will focus on the theme ‘For a Better Future’. Nick Winton, the son of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton MBE, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day event. He will discuss his father’s significant role in orchestrating the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia, who were fleeing persecution by Nazi Germany. Due to his efforts in aiding those oppressed under the Nazi regime, Sir Nicholas is frequently likened to Oscar Schindler, the German industrialist.
Sir Nicholas’s acts of bravery during the lead-up to World War II remained largely unrecognized for decades until a British TV show, ‘That’s Life’, brought his deeds to light and reunited him with some of the individuals he saved. His remarkable story was recently depicted in the 2023 film ‘One Life’, featuring Anthony Hopkins. The annual Holocaust Memorial Day serves as a global commemoration, honoring the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and those from other minority groups who perished under Nazi persecution. It also acknowledges the lives lost in later genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.
This year holds particular significance as it marks the 80th anniversary of the Auschwitz camp’s liberation in Poland in January 1945 and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia. In recognition of these milestones, the Opera North Youth Chorus, the junior ensemble of Opera North, has collaborated with writer Tom Hastings to produce a poignant piece reflecting this year’s theme. The performance is inspired by contemporary sources, and the accompanying music features compositions from artists who were victims at the Auschwitz camps.
The event will conclude with the reading of the seven statements of commitment, accompanied by the lighting of candles by representatives from the various groups persecuted in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. To close the ceremony, a memorial prayer will be sung.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung said:
“It is a great honour to be hosting Leeds Holocaust Memorial Day as we mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and welcome Nick Winton to Leeds. The story of Sir Nicolas Winton is an inspiration in how the selflessness of a single person can impact so many lives.
“As we remember the horrors of the Holocaust and the other genocides that have happened since, we learn why the virtues of peace and tolerance are so important. Through acts of remembrance and by educating ourselves on the consequences of hate, we learn to challenge intolerance in all its forms and to accept and celebrate our differences.”
Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor James Lewis said:
“As a multicultural global city, we take the opportunity each year on Holocaust Memorial Day to remind ourselves of the consequences of hate, racism, and xenophobia of all kinds and to stand shoulder to shoulder as one community.
“Holocaust Memorial Day also plays an important role in reaffirming our commitment to stopping the inhumanity of genocide in the future and building bonds of trust between our many and varied communities here in Leeds.”
On Thursday, January 30, at 2pm, Otley Courthouse will present a special matinee screening of ‘The Zone of Interest’. This film, adapted from a novel by Martin Amis, explores the lives of Rudolf Höss, the German Auschwitz commandant, and his wife Hedwig, who resided with their family adjacent to the concentration camp. Additionally, on the same day at 7pm, Seven Artspace will feature a screening of ‘One Life’, a film starring Anthony Hopkins that recounts the story of Sir Nicholas Winton MBE.
For those interested in learning more about the Holocaust, Leeds Libraries have compiled a selection of related books available for access www.leeds.ent.sirsidynix.net.uk
The Holocaust Memorial Day civic event has reached full capacity and is now fully booked. Tickets for other related events are available at:
The Orchestra of Auschwitz www.operanorth.co.uk
One Life film showing www.sevenleeds.co.uk
Zone of Interest www.otleycourthouse.ticketsolve.com
