Wreaths were laid as millions of people killed in genocides throughout history were poignantly remembered during a special service.
Holocaust Memorial Day was marked in Lowestoft as locals and council representatives gathered at the town's railway station on Thursday morning (January 27) to pay their respects to those who had lost their lives during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Addressing those present, mayor of Lowestoft, Alan Green, said: "The theme for this Holocaust Memorial Day, which takes place annually on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, is ‘One Day.’
"For It reflects the one-day in December 1938 when the people of Lowestoft woke up and without further thought walked to the railway station to welcome 529 children who were escaping persecution prior to the outbreak of the Second World War – as part of what is now known as Kindertransport.”
The initiative was a rescue effort of children from Germany after the British Government agreed to allow the temporary admission for up to 10,000 unaccompanied children from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia, who were at risk from the Nazis.
Subsequently some 9,500 children came to the UK and were hosted by foster families, hostels, hotels, and holiday camps, before the Kindertransport ended with the outbreak of war.
The service featured a moving address by Rabbi Sheldrake of Abat Yeshua Messianic Synagogue and also included readings of their own work by high school children from Benjamin Britten Music Academy and Ormiston Denes Academy in Lowestoft.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lowestoft town councillor Andy Pearce gave a detailed account of the second Kindertransport which included children who came to Lowestoft
A minute’s silence was led by Rev Helen Jary, Team Rector of the Oulton Broad Team Ministry followed by prayers.
A statement was read on behalf of Waveney MP Peter Aldous, in which he wrote: “It is right that each year we remember all those who died, survived the most horrific experiences and who fled persecution during the Holocaust.
"Governments around the world, those in positions of authority and society as a whole must redouble theirs and indeed all our efforts, to eliminate genocide.”
The mayor, together with Lily Nicol and Layla Fox of Waveney Youth Council, laid wreaths in recognition of the arrival of a Kindertransport train at the station in 1938.
Concluding the ceremony, the mayor said: “Today we honour the dead who died unjustly, but we also honour those people of Lowestoft who lived just and honourable lives and who got up one day and did the right thing for their town, their country and for all humanity.”
The event at Greater Anglia's Lowestoft station was arranged by Lowestoft Town Council and was supported by Wherry Lines Community Rail partnership and the Lowestoft Central Project.
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