Today we remember the many lives lost and those affected by the events of the Holocaust and other genocides. Join the nation and light the darkness by safely placing a light in your window today.

Holocaust Memorial Day is a chance to focus our thoughts on remembering the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi persecution, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. We have a collection of thought-provoking non-fiction works such as Béla Zsolt's 'Nine Suitcases' to fiction books such as 'Schindler's Ark' and 'The Librarian of Auschwitz', which are available to borrow from our library for all students and staff.

🕯️ Come help us create a Memorial Candle in the Library in The Gateway. Pop along to our craft table by the Library Helpdesk to cut out a flame and add your words of remembrance. We will then use these small flames to create a larger remembrance flame.

🖼️ We will be hosting a special event between 11am to 12.30pm in the University & Professional Development Centre on Western Way (IP33 3SP). The focus will be on the experience of the Slavic countries during the Holocaust and will be marked by reflections, poetry, music and art from students, staff and guests alike. The event is open to all, so all students, staff, parents and members of the public are welcome.

Art by Agnieszka Procajlo

Painting 1 – Auschwitz main gate with hypocritical banner – “In work there is freedom”. Birkenau concentration camp, Auschwitz.

Painting 2 – This is the first thing the “prisoner” would have seen arriving at the concentration camp. The Guard Tower at Auschwitz, Birkenau.

Painting 3 – Hands reaching for freedom.

The painting depicts the desire for freedom. It evokes helplessness as well as hope.

Painting 4 – The Wall of Death. Auschwitz concentration camp.

Execution wall in Auschwitz concentration camp. (The wall was dismantled in 1914). In front of this wall, from 1941 to 1943, several thousand people were murdered. After the execution, the bodies were taken to the crematorium.

Art by Debbie Byford

Enslaved

My name is Debbie Byford. I am a mature student on the Art Practice BA Hons Degree Course at West Suffolk College. I completed this painting in my first year of study for this event, which unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the covid pandemic.

I am a mixed media artist, generally enjoying different mediums to construct my artwork.

For this design I used acrylic paints. The subject is depicting a person enslaved and starved in a big bleak world, feeling alone as no one knows of their peril. I would like to think my painting is not relevant in today's world, but unfortunately innocent people are still incarcerated in parts of our world today. Lessons not being learned from previous dark history.

#HolocaustMemorialDay #HMD2023 #LightTheDarkness