As Holocaust Survivors Dwindle, Rising Antisemitism Exploits Their Memory
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, survivors and leaders marked 80 years since Auschwitz’s liberation amid rising antisemitism
On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, survivors, dignitaries, and global leaders gathered to honor the memory of the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust as concerns mount over rising antisemitism and historical distortion. Approximately 50 Holocaust survivors, now in their 80s and 90s, returned to Auschwitz-Birkenau on Monday to mark 80 years since its liberation, compared to 300 survivors who attended the 70th anniversary.
In Krakow, the World Jewish Congress held a gathering of 600 people, including 17 Holocaust survivors, to discuss the Jewish future as the number of living survivors dwindles. WJC President Ronald Lauder emphasized the rising danger of antisemitism, fueled by global events, including the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
The European Union Delegation, in partnership with Israel’s Yad Vashem, held a ceremony at Beit Juliana, a nursing home for Holocaust survivors in Herzliya. EU Ambassador Dimiter Tzantchev warned, “We are witnessing the highest levels of antisemitism since the Shoah, alongside a dangerous rise in Holocaust distortion. This is unacceptable, and we are determined to fight these developments to ensure Jews can live and thrive globally.”
Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan noted survivors’ resilience, saying, “The scars of the Holocaust shaped their lives, but their fortitude teaches us that even in the darkest times, light can be created and spread.”
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Meanwhile, Irish President Michael Higgins, known for his criticism of Israel, used his speech to address the war in Gaza, prompting protests from Jewish attendees. Protesters were forcibly removed after turning their backs on Higgins, who Jewish leaders have accused of downplaying antisemitism in Ireland. Maurice Cohen, chairman of Ireland’s Jewish Council, criticized Higgins’ participation in the ceremony, calling it “inappropriate” for a day meant to foster unity and reflection.
Wreaths of commemorative flowers are laid at the foot of the Shoah memorial on which it is written “In member of the 6 million Jews, victims of the Shoah, including one and a half million children, 1941-1945. 6,100 were from our region” at Carnot Square in Lyon, France, Jan. 27, 2025. (MATTHIEU DELATY/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, told The Media Line, “If you’re not prepared to show respect and concern for live Jews, spare us your moment of silence over dead Jews.” He also noted the rising tide of Holocaust distortion, particularly in international discourse. Cooper criticized Higgins, saying, “If there was a Nobel Prize for chutzpah, Higgins would win. Using Holocaust Remembrance Day to propagate anti-Israel rhetoric is beyond the pale.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also used the day to denounce Hamas as “the new Nazis,” urging the world to confront antisemitism “wherever it appears,” including international forums like the ICC.
This comes following an Israeli government report published Sunday that revealed that 123,000 Holocaust survivors currently live in the country, including 41,751 who endured Nazi persecution and 44,334 who fled advancing Nazi forces. Additionally, 37,630 survivors were victims of antisemitism outside Europe, such as Jews in Morocco, Algeria, and Iraq.
Despite government support totaling $1.1 billion in 2024, concerns remain about adequately addressing survivors’ needs as their numbers dwindle. According to a 2021 survey by the Holocaust Survivors’ Welfare Fund, 51% rely on food handouts, and 70% require additional financial assistance to live with dignity.
The notorious “Arbeit Macht Frei” (“Work Makes One Free”) slogan hangs over the entrance at the Auschwitz I former concentration camp site on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the camp on January 27, 2025 in Oswiecim, Poland. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Cooper stressed the importance of teaching future generations: “We’re at the final stage of having access to those who lived through the Shoah. With social media amplifying Holocaust distortion 24/7, it’s critical to ensure the next generations understand the truth. The Iranian regime has wholeheartedly embraced Holocaust inversion for years, using it to portray Israel as the new Nazis. This inversion, combined with historical distortion, fuels dangerous rhetoric.”
The day’s solemnity was overshadowed by growing global antisemitism. In Germany, Elon Musk’s surprise appearance at a far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) rally drew widespread criticism. Musk’s remarks, urging Germans to “move beyond” guilt over Nazi atrocities, aligned with the AfD’s controversial stance on Holocaust memory. Dani Dayan, chairman of Israel’s Yad Vashem memorial, condemned Musk’s comments, calling them an “insult to the victims of Nazism” and a “danger to Germany’s democratic future.”
Musk, who has openly supported far-right movements, has faced backlash for downplaying Nazi history and making inflammatory remarks. His appearance at the AfD rally came days before the Auschwitz liberation anniversary and amid rising political support for the party, which denies extremism while rejecting Holocaust responsibility. Cooper warned against making Musk a focal point: “We should not turn the commemoration into a stage for individual controversies. However, public figures like Musk must understand the weight of their words.”
