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Holocaust victims buried after remains given to museum Holocaust victims funeral a reminder to 'confront racism'
(about 2 hours later)
A funeral has been held for six unknown Auschwitz victims whose remains were donated to a British museum more than 20 years ago. The UK's Chief Rabbi has urged an end to rising anti-Semitism, at a funeral for six unknown Auschwitz victims whose remains were donated to a museum.
About 1,000 people attended the service, at Bushey New Cemetery, Hertfordshire. Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said hate speech "can easily be translated into hate crime" and the service was a reminder to confront all forms of racism.
The remains of five adults and at least one child were anonymously donated to the Imperial War Museum in 1997. The remains of five adults and one child were anonymously donated to the Imperial War Museum in 1997.
The victims, whose identities will never be known, were buried in a coffin with earth from Israel. The unknown victims were buried with earth from Israel.
Survivors and those who had lost loved ones in the Holocaust attended the service. Rabbi Mirvis warned: "When anti-Semitism is allowed to thrive, some people can do anything and some people can reach the lowest end of human conduct."
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire, the Israeli ambassador and the deputy German ambassador were also there. Many of the 1,000 people attending the service at Bushey New Cemetery, Hertfordshire, were moved to tears during the service.
Many were moved to tears during Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis's address. They included survivors and relatives of victims who were murdered during the Holocaust, as well as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
Six million Jews were murdered in Nazi death camps during World War Two, starved and gassed, and their remains incinerated. Communities Secretary James Brokenshire, the Israeli ambassador and the deputy German ambassador were also there.
More than a million people were killed at the Auschwitz camp in occupied Poland. After the ceremony, Mr Brokenshire said: "We must continue to challenge racism, anti-Semitism and bigotry and where hatred can lead."
The remains were among a large number of objects relating to the Holocaust given to the museum by a donor. The MP also said he hoped the funeral would bring people together and underline the message of "never again, never forget and that none of us can simply stand by the side and allow this to happen".
The human remains were unexpectedly among them. At least six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis and their allies during World War Two,
They are understood to have been taken by the donor during a visit to the former death camp several decades ago. Many were starved and gassed to death, and their remains incinerated, including more than a million men women and children who were murdered in the Auschwitz death camp in German-occupied Poland.
The museum has a license to hold such items and the remains have been kept in storage for two decades. The human remains were among a large number of objects relating to the Holocaust given to the museum by a donor.
Leader of the Holocaust Galleries at the IWM, James Bulgin, said: "The museum receives thousands of objects, but something like this is unusual to the point of complete uniqueness. They are understood to have been removed during a visit to the Auschwitz site several decades ago.
The Imperial War Museum (IWM) has a license to hold such items and the remains have been kept in storage for two decades.
The leader of the Holocaust Galleries at the IWM, James Bulgin, said: "The museum receives thousands of objects, but something like this is unusual to the point of complete uniqueness.
"Hundreds of thousands of people were killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Anybody who lost a relative there can consider these remains and think they could belong to my grandfather or mother.""Hundreds of thousands of people were killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Anybody who lost a relative there can consider these remains and think they could belong to my grandfather or mother."
Mr Bulgin described the process of discovering details about the remains as "difficult", adding: "These remains are fragments and also ash and some of that can't be analysed further." Mr Bulgin described the process of discovering details about the remains as "difficult", adding: "These remains are fragments and also ash, and some of that can't be analysed further."
Through forensic analysis the museum was able to find out that the fragments were the human remains of adults and children.Through forensic analysis the museum was able to find out that the fragments were the human remains of adults and children.
But the process is limited; their ages, gender or other personal details are impossible to learn. But because the process is limited, ages, gender or other personal details remain unknown.
'Exceptional poignancy''Exceptional poignancy'
The museum worked closely with Jewish religious leaders, and Mr Bulgin said the process of deciding what to do with the remains had been very moving. In his address, Rabbi Mirvis addressed the six victims.
The UK's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis led prayers at the service. He said: "We don't know who you are, we don't know if you're male or female, we don't know which country you're from, but one thing we do know; you were a Jewish and brutally murdered.
"We don't know who you are, we don't know if you're male or female, we don't know which country you're from, but one thing we do know; you were a Jewish and brutally murdered," he began by saying.
"You were let down badly at the time and now your remains have somehow come to the UK. And we have the opportunity of granting you the dignity and honour of a funeral service.""You were let down badly at the time and now your remains have somehow come to the UK. And we have the opportunity of granting you the dignity and honour of a funeral service."
Previously Rabbi Mirvis said the symbolism was enormous. Previously Rabbi Mirvis said the symbolism of the funeral service was enormous.
"We find exceptional poignancy in the fact that there are six souls that we are burying," he said."We find exceptional poignancy in the fact that there are six souls that we are burying," he said.
"Each one stands for one million souls who perished. And interestingly enough there were just under five million who were adults and just over one million who were children.""Each one stands for one million souls who perished. And interestingly enough there were just under five million who were adults and just over one million who were children."
"There were members of my family who perished in the Holocaust and we all related to this directly," Rabbi Mirvis said. Rabbi Mirvis added: "There were members of my family who perished in the Holocaust and we all related to this directly. Now we will have the opportunity to accord them some dignity and to give them a final resting place."
"Now we will have the opportunity to accord them some dignity and to give them a final resting place."
He said he hoped the site would become a place of pilgrimage for Jewish families, much like the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.He said he hoped the site would become a place of pilgrimage for Jewish families, much like the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
But he also reflected on the memorial's timeliness for wider society, adding: "We need a strong reminder such as this to let us know what can result, even within a democratic society, what can result if anti-Semitism, if racism and xenophobia, go unchecked."But he also reflected on the memorial's timeliness for wider society, adding: "We need a strong reminder such as this to let us know what can result, even within a democratic society, what can result if anti-Semitism, if racism and xenophobia, go unchecked."
The Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, has sent a letter of condolence to the Jewish community.The Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, has sent a letter of condolence to the Jewish community.