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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Holocaust Day marked at Auschwitz | Holocaust Day marked at Auschwitz |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Events are taking place at Auschwitz to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp, as the world marks Holocaust Memorial Day. | Events are taking place at Auschwitz to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp, as the world marks Holocaust Memorial Day. |
| Auschwitz survivors and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are among those gathering in Poland, where the camp was built under German occupation. | Auschwitz survivors and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are among those gathering in Poland, where the camp was built under German occupation. |
| In Berlin, Israeli President Shimon Peres urged Germany and other countries to pursue Holocaust perpetrators. | In Berlin, Israeli President Shimon Peres urged Germany and other countries to pursue Holocaust perpetrators. |
| More than a million people were murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz. | More than a million people were murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz. |
| The great majority were Jews but they also included non-Jewish Poles, Roma Gypsies and Soviet prisoners of war. | |
| The camp was liberated by the Soviet Red Army on 27 January 1945. | The camp was liberated by the Soviet Red Army on 27 January 1945. |
| Peres plea | Peres plea |
| At least six million Jews were killed by the Nazis during World War II. | At least six million Jews were killed by the Nazis during World War II. |
| Shimon Peres was given a standing ovation by German MPs | Shimon Peres was given a standing ovation by German MPs |
| Addressing Germany's parliament, Israel's president Shimon Peres said some of those who carried out the Holocaust "still live on German and European soil, and in other parts of the world". | Addressing Germany's parliament, Israel's president Shimon Peres said some of those who carried out the Holocaust "still live on German and European soil, and in other parts of the world". |
| "My request of you is: Please do everything to bring them to justice." | "My request of you is: Please do everything to bring them to justice." |
| He also recalled leaving his grandfather behind in Poland, when his family moved to Palestine in 1934. His grandfather was later killed by the Nazis - herded into a synagogue with the other Jews of his village, and burned to death. | He also recalled leaving his grandfather behind in Poland, when his family moved to Palestine in 1934. His grandfather was later killed by the Nazis - herded into a synagogue with the other Jews of his village, and burned to death. |
| "I remember his poignant embrace. I remember the last words and the order I heard from his mouth: 'My boy, always remain a Jew'," he said. | "I remember his poignant embrace. I remember the last words and the order I heard from his mouth: 'My boy, always remain a Jew'," he said. |
| Mr Peres also said there were parallels between Nazi Germany and present-day Iran, which he called a "fanatical regime" and "a danger to the entire world". | |
| Replica sign | Replica sign |
| Some of those who survived the Holocaust gathered at the site of the Auschwitz and neighbouring Birkenau death camps on Wednesday, despite the cold and the snow. | Some of those who survived the Holocaust gathered at the site of the Auschwitz and neighbouring Birkenau death camps on Wednesday, despite the cold and the snow. |
| Many had relatives with them. | Many had relatives with them. |
| They passed beneath the notorious sign above the entrance, reading "Arbeit Macht Frei", or "Work Makes You Free". | They passed beneath the notorious sign above the entrance, reading "Arbeit Macht Frei", or "Work Makes You Free". |
| The sign is a replica. The original was stolen last month. It has been recovered, in three pieces, but not yet repaired and repositioned. | The sign is a replica. The original was stolen last month. It has been recovered, in three pieces, but not yet repaired and repositioned. |
| August Kowalczyk spent two years at Auschwitz and survived. | |
| "This place determined who I am today, aged nearly 90," he said. | |
| "I still have one mission - to pass on to the next generation knowledge of what happened here." | |
| Later Mr Netanyahu was to speak at a commemorative ceremony. | Later Mr Netanyahu was to speak at a commemorative ceremony. |
| Poland's President, Lech Kaczynski, was also expected and US President Barack Obama was sending a video message. | Poland's President, Lech Kaczynski, was also expected and US President Barack Obama was sending a video message. |
| There has been some controversy surrounding the presence in Mr Netanyahu's delegation of Israeli Arab MP Mohammed Barakeh, who has firmly criticised Israeli policy towards the Palestinians. | |
| Right-wing Israeli MPs said he should be barred, fearing he would use the visit to criticise Israel. While some Palestinians said he should not be showing sympathy for Israel. | |
| But Mr Barakeh said: "I came to hear the cries of those who have disappeared in Auschwitz." | |
| "I don't understand the criticism," he said. | |
| "I have fought against racism all my life. The Holocaust is the most tragic drama of modern history." |