Marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Survivor, Henry Schachter OBE will share his story with hundreds at Poole Lighthouse for Holocaust Memorial Day, 26th Jan 2020.
Having first told his inspiring survival story at Bournemouth and Poole Holocaust Memorial Day 2014, 80-year old Henry Schachter has since spoken to thousands of children and adults across the UK, leading to an OBE for services to Holocaust Education and Awareness in the New Year honours list. To mark the 75th –anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Mr Schachter will speak to hundreds more from the local community as they unite for Holocaust Memorial Day on the 26th January 2020.
‘Road to the Shoah’ is the name of Mr Schachter’s presentation which will tell his tale of endurance at a time when the Nazis tragically persecuted millions of Jewish people. Mr Schachter’s family escaped Germany for Poland after the Kristallnacht attacks in 1938 but then fled to Belgium after Poland was invaded when Mr Schachter was just a baby. To protect him from the Nazis, his mother selflessly gave her child to a Christian family so that he would not be targeted.
Both Mr Schachter’s parents were killed whilst being held captive by the Nazis. His mother was sent to Belsen on the same convoy as Anne Frank and died of typhoid just four days before the camp’s liberation. His father was shot when attempting to escape after a death march to Flossenburg.
Regarding his upcoming presentation at Holocaust Memorial Day 2020, Mr Schachter said:
“My story is how at least one little Jewish boy did not become part of the 1.5million Jewish children who were murdered by the Nazis. I now live in Bournemouth and to share my story with my hometown community is very important to me. I continue to tell my story to many children and adults across the country so that the millions of people who were persecuted in the holocaust did not die in vain.”
As well as Mr Schachter, Martyn Underhill, the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, will be giving a presentation about his father’s role in the liberation of Belsen.
Bournemouth and Poole Holocaust Memorial Day pays remembrance to all those who were killed or persecuted in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. This year’s event will also memorialize the 25th anniversary of the Bosnian genocide.
Lynda Ford-Horne, one of the organisers of Bournemouth and Poole Holocaust Memorial Day, said:
“I’d like to thank Mr Schachter and Mr Underhill for both agreeing to share their stories with the Bournemouth and Poole community. We expect hundreds of people to join us at the Lighthouse on the 26th January. It’s important we remember these atrocities so the memories of those who tragically perished remain with us while we can continue to do all we can to prevent such massacres from reoccurring.”
For more information or to register your attendance, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bournemouth-and-poole-holocaust-memorial-day-tickets-85634544227
