Hundreds of MPs sign Book of Remembrance

Hundreds of MPs signed a Book of Commitment in Parliament to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, pledging to honour and remember those who died at the hands of Nazis throughout the Second World War.

The event held on 27 January, the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, saw MPs representing all parties pay tribute to the work of survivors, many of whom continue to educate younger generations through sharing their testimonies.

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, which organised the Book of Commitment, said: “As the Holocaust fades from living memory, it falls on all of us to ensure that their stories and the stories of the six million Jewish men, women and children brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, are never forgotten.

“We know that the leaders of our country are committed to remembering the Holocaust and learning its enduring lessons for today. By signing the Book of Commitment, they are reaffirming that support.”

Boris Johnson heard the testimony of 92-year-old survivor Manfred Goldberg, who was born in central Germany and spent more than eight months as a child slave labourer in Stutthof concentration camp.

Speaking to the Prime Minister in Downing Street, Goldberg said leaders must ensure the Holocaust is never permitted to

“be relegated to fading history”.

Johnson said: “It is hard to imagine a childhood narrative that could be more horrific, or more powerful, or more important.

“We must use this testimony to banish all complacency from our hearts; because it is not enough to remember, we must make sure that everyday, in everything we do, we take action to stamp out prejudice and anti-Semitism in this country.”