Derby Homes marked Holocaust Memorial Day 2008 with a series of events aimed at embracing this year’s theme of ‘Imagine… remember, reflect, react’.

Remembering the Holocaust

Derby Homes marked Holocaust Memorial Day 2008 with a series of events aimed at embracing this year’s theme of ‘Imagine… remember, reflect, react’.

The programme of events began with a visit by Bernard Grunberg from Derby, who fled Nazi Germany as a child refugee on the Kindertransport.  Bernard talked movingly about his life in a small town in North-West Germany, the Nazi persecution, and how he came to be on board one of the first Kindertransport trains to leave Germany.  The transport, which was arranged by Jewish communities in Germany and relief organisations abroad, offered children between the ages of 2 and 17 a chance to escape to Britain. 

Staff and tenants of Derby Homes also had an opportunity to view an exhibition of photographs and text at the organisation’s headquarters in Cardinal Square.  The last event in the programme was a visit to the Beth Shalom Centre near Newark, which provides educational facilities and resources on the Holocaust, and is also a place of commemoration and remembrance.   

Phil Davies, Chief Executive of Derby Homes said: “We felt it was important to give people an opportunity to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and it’s been good to see people of all ages taking part in the events.”

Chris Shaw, CEO of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust said: "Holocaust Memorial Day gives us the opportunity to reflect on both the Holocaust and more recent atrocities that raise similar issues.  The tragedies of Cambodia, Rwanda and other terrible events in the world show that there are still many lessons to be learnt, both in international and individual terms.”

Date:  03 March 2008