"We will not tolerate attempts to forget our guilt, neither today nor tomorrow" – this assurance from the German chancellor, expressed on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp, has been widely quoted in German media.
Also featured are the words of former Auschwitz prisoner Marian Turski, who said, "We are currently witnessing a huge rise in anti-Semitism, which in the past led to the Holocaust."
German press reactions on 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung emphasizes that the memory of Auschwitz is crucial in combating new manifestations of nationalism, racism, and anti-Semitism, while also criticizing Elon Musk for downplaying Germany's guilt.
"Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung," one of Germany's largest newspapers, warns in its coverage of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp that "Es kann immer wieder passieren" — meaning this tragedy could happen again.
Sueddeutsche Zeitung highlights the controversy surrounding German responsibility for Nazi crimes, while Frankfurter Rundschau warns that the foundations of civilization are under threat due to rising nationalism and anti-Semitism.
Meanwhile, Der Spiegel points out that hatred of Jews remains a serious issue, and "Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung" criticizes Elon Musk's attempt to distort history.
The German press frequently referenced a post by Chancellor Scholz on platform X, in which he stated that "over a million people with dreams and hopes were murdered in concentration camps." "Murdered by the Germans," Scholz clarified.
Journalistic reports are filled not only with photos from yesterday's ceremonies in Auschwitz but also with facts about Nazi atrocities. References to Holocaust Remembrance Day could be seen in many places across Germany, including on the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
There were also voices of criticism regarding the radicalization of some political parties. The former president of the European Jewish Congress, without naming the party, criticized the far-right AfD's policy of inciting hatred. In protest, the leader of the AfD's parliamentary club walked out of the session.
British and American media highlight royal family's participation in Holocaust Remembrance Day
English-language media coverage of International Holocaust Remembrance Day highlighted not only the participation of King Charles III but also other members of the royal family, including Princess Catherine and Prince William, in these events.
The 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz made headlines in English-language newspapers around the world.
The Mirror again mislabels Auschwitz as a “Polish camp”
According to British Poles, a leading bilingual media outlet for the Polish community in the UK, a British news website has again referred to the Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp as a “Polish camp.” The misleading term appeared in a report by The Mirror.
The Polish Embassy in Madrid intervened after an error by the Spanish media
The most controversy, however, was sparked by the Spanish press. According to a report by the Polish news agency PAP, cited by the wp.pl website, the Polish Embassy in Madrid intervened after a publication appeared in the online edition of El Mundo, one of the largest and most influential newspapers in Spain.
The electronic version of this newspaper included the phrase "Polish death camp," but after the intervention, El Mundo replaced it with "Nazi death camp."
Attendants light up candles during the ceremony held in memory of Holocaust victims at Madrid's regional Parliament in Madrid, Spain, 28 January 2025. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed worldwide on January 27 to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. Photo: MARISCAL/PAP/EPA
On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, many important buildings and institutions across Europe displayed the hashtag #WeRemember, paying tribute to the victims of the Nazis who perished in the Holocaust, as well as to those who survived.
A light projection with the hashtag '#WeRemember' is displayed on the Eynard Palace, Geneva's town hall, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Auschwitz liberation on Holocaust Remembrance Day in Geneva, Switzerland, 27 January 2025. Many public buildings in Switzerland have been illuminated to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Photo: SALVATORE DI NOLFI/PAP/EPA
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Source: IAR/PAP/X/@japantimes/@paulinepark/@Bundeskanzler/@AuschwitzMuseum/@britishpoles
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