A moving commemoration to mark Holocaust Memorial Day took place in Liverpool Central Library.
The event, organised by Merseyside Unite Against Fascism, was held in the Hornby Library, included readings of Holocaust Survivor testimony, the lighting of a Memorial Candle, and a minute’s silence.
Hazel Verbov, whose late father, Army Chaplain Reverend Leslie Hardman, was present at the liberation of Belsen concentration camp, also spoke of her father’s experiences.
Other readers included the Deputy Mayor of Liverpool Councillor Ann O’Byrne; Ian Cohen of Merseyside Jewish Representative Council; Liverpool City Councillors Nathalie Nicholas and Anna Rothery; Sharon Hutchinson (Unite the union); Ian Hibbert of the Fire Brigades Union; Babs Hennessy and Maria Porter of UNISON; Martin Timson of Merseyside UAF and Terry Phillips of Liverpool RC Archdiocese, Justice and Peace Commission. The event was chaired by Mary Doolin of the PCS union.
Hazel Verbov also lit the Memorial Candle in memory of people murdered in the Holocaust.
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) takes place on 27th January, and a number of events took place in Liverpool during the week.
Councillor Jeremy Wolfson, who was one of the organisers of the commemoration, said: “This was a very moving event with the testimonies of the survivors having a real impact on all those present. This year Liverpool has shown that Holocaust Memorial Day is important to the city and that we will always remember the victims of the Holocaust.”
Paul Jenkins of Unite Against Fascism said: “The Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration in the Hornby Library was an incredibly moving event. Thanks are due to all the readers, the unions and organisations that they represent, and everyone involved in ensuring the event was a success. We are privileged to remember the Holocaust Survivors and to remember the words which they wrote that bear witness to what happened during the Holocaust.”
PIctured: Readers and organisers at the service.
