Holocaust Memorial Day observed with Barking service

The exhibition in Barking Town Hall. Picture: Bethany Deer (Image: Archant)

On Monday, January 27, a service was held to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as well as the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.

The commemoration event included the lighting of six candles and a prayer from Rabbi Herschel Gluck.

The theme of the service was 'stand together' for the victims of the Holocaust and in remembrance of all those who have been murdered in genocide.

Council leader Cllr Darren Rodwell introduced the event. He said: "We've done this in Barking and Dagenham for many years. We've had our own fights politically and emotionally within the community.

"But we always stand together as one borough and one community to remember those that have passed."

Rabbi Gluck then spoke about how his father had fled to east London in 1939 as a refugee from the Nazis.

He then spoke about how the people of east London had suffered over the years and how important it is we stand together.

He said: "(During) the fear of invasion, the strength that the people of east London showed when faced with adversity and standing up to inhumanity of man against man."

He said a prayer both in Hebrew and English before a minute's silence for the victims of genocide was observed.

The lighting of six candles took place in remembrance of the six million Jewish people who were murdered by the Nazis.

After the service a free exhibition in Barking Town Hall was available for people to find out more about the Holocaust.

Dur to run until Friday, January 31, the exhibition is called 'Leave to Land: The Kitchener Camp' and was curated by the Weiner Library. The exhibition shows the story of the Kitchener Camp rescue of Jewish refugees in 1939.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust runs events throughout the country and is supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.