Poland in South Africa

In South Africa, the South African Holocaust & Genocide Foundation organized a webinar in collaboration with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and the United Nations Information Center in Pretoria. The event was moderated by Tali Nates, director of the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Center. The event was attended by representatives of the academic and think-tank circles, the diplomatic corps, the Polish and Jewish diaspora, and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria.

The honorary guests of the webinar were Survivors - Witnesses of History, born in Poland: Pinchas Gutter, Ella Blumenthal and Miriam Lichterman, who experienced the atrocities of World War II, the horror of the ghetto and concentration camps, inhuman treatment, hunger and fear. After the end of II world war, they came to South Africa and began a new life, bearing witness to the tragic fate of the nation, reminding of the dark side of human nature and caution everyone that the tragedy of concentration camps and war should never happen again.

The following participants took place in the webinar: the German Ambassador to South Africa, dr. Martin Schäfer, director of the United Nations Information Center in Pretoria, Masimba Tafirenyika and associate professor at UCLA's Department of Anthropology, prof. Aomar Boum. The German ambassador warned against growing anti-Semitism, racism and fascism. He expressed concern that mankind has learned nothing and did not draw conclusions from history. The Ambassador emphasized that he was still asking himself a question that was not answered: how could a nation that was so proud of its values and culture committed such terrible acts and genocide?

All the statements also featured topics related to global problems of the modern world, especially the coronavirus pandemic, which gives an excuse for the persecution of minorities, unequal treatment and injustice. The message of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres was presented during the webinar.

Prof. Aomar Boum presented the unknown history of concentration camps and forced labor camps established by the collaborative Vichy government in the then French overseas colonies in North Africa. The camps held refugees, including those of Jewish origin, fleeing war-torn European countries, foreigners who arrived in French colonies in North Africa before 1940, and Allied prisoners of war.

During the webinar, candles were symbolically lit as a sign of solidarity with millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust and a sign of hope for respect for human life.