“Do not be silent!” Memorial service with Irene Shashar

On January 26, 2025, a special memorial service was held in Tübingen to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Irene Shashar, a Holocaust survivor, told her moving life story in front of over 200 people in the TOS Community and Conference Center.

This was the first time that Irene Shashar, who now lives in Israel, had spoken publicly in Germany. In her impressive report, she took the participants into her personal history and built a bridge to current challenges. “Remembrance must unite us, because it gives us strength. The Holocaust happened, but October 7 is today, and anti-Semitism is still very strong today,” she said to great applause from the audience. At the same time, Irene Shashar spoke of the legacy of the next generation and their responsibility to tell the story of the Shoah: “Don’t be silent! But continue to tell the story.”
During the service, six candles were lit for the victims of the Shoah, complemented by a candle specially dedicated to the victims of October 7. This poignant moment of remembrance and the joint minute’s silence showed how important it is to connect the past and the present.

Particularly impressive was the encounter with two descendants of Nazi perpetrators, who told their family stories and asked for forgiveness on their behalf. Irene embraced the descendants in a moving moment.
The March of Life youth choir expressed the message of hope and Jewish life with the song “Am Israel Chai”, which went viral on the internet. YC-Dance presented a dance to the well-known song “Broken Hearts”, which was sung live.
Jobst Bittner then emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for the future. His message was also a clear appeal to stand together against anti-Semitism and forgetting. In a statement on Elon Musk’s call to draw a line under the guilt of the past, Jobst Bittner said, among other things, that forgetting the past makes the survivors of the Holocaust and their families victims once again.

Finally, the organizers presented Irene Shashar with a picture of the Hanukkia, which is to be projected onto the Neckarfront in Tübingen during Hanukkah 2022 – exactly where the Nazis once marched. This gift symbolizes the triumph of Jewish life over hatred and persecution.

Following the memorial service, a group discussion took place between Irene Shashar and ten grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Nazi perpetrators. The meeting was characterized by openness, healing and the desire for reconciliation. Irene ended the discussion with the words: “Now I have a second home in Germany”. 

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