Katarzyna Łaziuk

School communities at Polish Educational Society Middle and High School in Mińsk organized the local Holocaust Memorial Day celebrations. Katarzyna Łaziuk was the initiator of the event and coordinated it in all its aspects.

In the course of the celebrations, students recounted the history of Auschwitz camp, listened to and then reflected over the voices of victims and survivors. Five quotes, voices of five victims and survivors provided the motto of this year’s commemorative events. Primo Levi said “It happened, so it can happen again… It can happen anywhere.” In the context of contemporary wars and conflicts, as well as infringements of human rights, it is clear that we failed our exam in memory and did not draw conclusions from the experience of World War II-era cruelty. Students also quoted a statement by Auschwitz Museum Director Mr. Piotr Cywiński: “We are still not able to cope with Auschwitz because we cannot keep our human face while acknowledging hate, contempt, anti-Semitism and above all – our everyday indifference. This is why Auschwitz is terrifying. The site no longer awakens demons; it awakens human conscience. And this conscience accuses each and every one of us.

It would seem that the world should have been changed forever; that no one innocent should be killed. It would seem that hate cannot be preached anymore and no one will attempt to change borders by force. It would seem that indifference and passivity should cause disgust. Yet we have seen time and time again that the memory within us has still not matured.”

In the course of the ceremony, students referred to the testimony of Auschwitz survivor Mr. Roman Kent, whose testimony served as basis for a student-shot film completed last year at our school, presenting his tragic experience as well as faith in a better world. Members of the audience focused on Mr. Kent’s words who spoke about the need for the 11th commandment: “Thou shalt not remain indifferent.” We must oppose the evil happening around us. As Jan Karski often said, small hates breed great crimes.

Youth presented to their guests a moving story of Abram Kaplowicz, a teenager who died in the camp and had no chance to fulfill his dreams, which he described in one of his poems.