ST. LOUIS – Monday marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day and people around the world are coming together to honor the millions of lives lost during one of the darkest chapters in human history.
The Kaplan-Feldman Holocaust Museum is holding its annual reading of the names on Monday around 9 a.m. This poignant tradition marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the largest and most infamous Nazi concentration and extermination camp.
More than six million Jewish people, along with other minorities, were killed throughout the Holocaust from 1933 to 1945. Mourners from around the world will remember the victims by holding vigils at commemoration sites.
The event will go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and will feature a lineup of community leaders and public officials, each taking turns to read names throughout the day. It’s a deeply personal and moving way to make sure their stories are never forgotten.
The reading begins at 9 a.m. with remarks from Myron Freedman, the museum’s executive director, followed by leaders like state senator Tracy McCreery and St. Louis County executive Sam Page. The museum is also offering a livestream of the event on YouTube for people who cannot attend in person, extending this powerful moment of remembrance to everyone in the community.
The museum will be open to visitors Monday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with special exhibitions highlighting the history of the Holocaust and the dangerous consequences of hate. This is also a continuation of the pay-as-you-wish weekend, giving visitors the chance to experience the museum by donating any amount they choose.
For more information, visit StlHolocaustMuseum.org.