27 January - Holocaust Remembrance Day

It was January 27, 1945, when Soviet soldiers opened the gates of Auschwitz, exposing horrors that continue to shake the world. Over one million people were murdered in Auschwitz—victims of a system that expressed its "racial delusion" and hatred through unimaginable cruelty. Today, "Auschwitz" is more than a name; it is a symbol. A memorial against forgetting.

In Germany, this day has been an official day of remembrance since 1996, reminding us of what was—and what must never be again. One pressing question remains: How well are we truly achieving "never again"?

The Challenge of Remembrance

Books, films, and personal testimonies have strived to make the incomprehensible more tangible since the end of World War II. Yet in a time when antisemitism resurges, Holocaust denial grows, and the number of survivors dwindles, the work of remembrance becomes more vital than ever.

We, the editorial team, asked ourselves: Which works move, shock, and educate us to keep the memory alive? 

Literature: Words That Pierce the Soul

The Diary of Anne Frank
Perhaps one of the most well-known documents of the Shoah, it provides insight into the life of a young girl whose voice reaches us from a time of inhuman terror.
Anne Frank, 1947

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Judith Kerr’s story, told through both book and film, portrays a Jewish family’s escape from Germany through the eyes of a child. It makes history tangible without descending into pathos.
Judith Kerr, 1971

Try to Make Your Life
A harrowing account by Margot Friedländer, who survived as a Jew in Berlin by going into hiding. To this day, she tirelessly educates others, reminding us that silence is the most dangerous weapon.
Margot Friedländer, Malin Schwerdtfeger, 2008

Films and Documentaries: Images That Linger

Shoah
A monumental nine-hour documentary by Claude Lanzmann, relying not on archival footage but on the voices of survivors, perpetrators, and witnesses. A work that has lost none of its urgency.
Watch here

Night Will Fall
A harrowing documentary about the liberation of concentration camps in 1945, using disturbing images and shocking testimonies to lay bare the horrors of Nazi terror. Directed by Sidney Bernstein with contributions from Alfred Hitchcock, this almost-forgotten work is a stark reminder of the need to remember.
Watch here

Prosecuting Evil
The moving story of Benjamin Ferencz, the youngest chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials and a tireless advocate for justice. The film’s themes are complemented by his book Departing Words, which offers nine lessons for a just life.
Watch here

Requiem for Auschwitz
This documentary sheds light on the fate of the Sinti and Roma murdered in the Holocaust. It not only reveals the cruelty of the crimes but also honors the cultural and artistic contributions of the Sinti and Roma, both during and after the Shoah. Featuring a requiem composed by Roger Moreno Rathgeb, the film provides an emotional and artistic perspective on their history.

Paragraph 175
A powerful documentary exploring the persecution of homosexual men under the Nazi regime, named after the infamous penal code. While lesbian women were not explicitly mentioned, their hidden suffering is also examined. It is a poignant testimony to discrimination and survival.
Watch here 

Art and Resistance

Even amidst horror, resistance emerged—through words, actions, and even music. In concentration camps, creations like jazz, cabaret, and songs kept the spirits of prisoners alive. The Encyclopedia of Music in Concentration Camps (1933–1945) documents this secret artistic output, proving that art can survive even in the darkest times.

A Future of Remembrance

The Day of Remembrance is not just a reflection on the past. It is a commitment—especially in an era where memory is increasingly questioned. The works we read, watch, and listen to are not mere memorials. They are tools—tools to help us understand and take responsibility.