TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- A small group of Tyndall personnel hosted a Holocaust Remembrance Day event to honor the victims. This event is recognized internationally for the horror that took place in most of continental Europe in World War II.
The day began Wednesday, May 4, in the evening and ended Thursday, May 5, in the evening.
Although the commemoration is recognized May 5 this year, the event took place May 4 to avoid the observance with Cinco de Mayo.
In 2005, the U.N. established Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This marked the day in 1945 that Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by Soviet troops.
Nazi Germany bombing Poland in an unprovoked attack heralded the beginning of World War II.
According to www.ushmm.org, The United States Congress established the Days of Remembrance as the nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust. Each year, state and local governments, military bases, workplaces, schools, religious organizations, and civic centers host observances and remembrance activities for their communities. These events can occur during the Week of Remembrance, which runs from the Sunday before Holocaust Remembrance Day through the following Sunday.
In the Hebrew language, Yom Hashoah is known as Holocaust Remembrance Day. The day corresponds with the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar which means the day falls on different days of the year within the standard 365 day calendar year.
Various display boards were presented with detailed maps specifying locations of where the Holocaust took place. These boards also described other genocides in places such as Rwanda, Bosnia and Cambodia.
A video was also presented telling the stories of survivors and their experiences.
“I thought the Holocaust Remembrance day event was not only memorable, but also very informative,” said Senior Airman Joseph Hartsfield, 325th Communications Squadron knowledge management technician. “There were things discussed that not only described the magnitude, but the severity of Nazi Germany’s actions during the Holocaust.”