05 May 2025
Time to read: 3 mins
VE Day 80: IHRA warns of rising antisemitism as world marks 80 years since liberation
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is calling on governments and the public to recognise and take action against the unprecedented rise in antisemitism, as the world prepares to commemorate 80 years since Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) and the liberation of Nazi concentration camps.
This year’s VE Day marks a historic milestone, commemorating eight decades since the end of the Second World War in Europe and honouring the victims and survivors of the Holocaust as well as the sacrifices of those who fought for freedom.
The IHRA is encouraging reflection on the revelations of the Holocaust and the genocide of the Roma committed by the Nazis and their collaborators that followed the end of the war. The liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau (27th January 1945), Theresienstadt (8th May 1945), Bergen-Belsen (15th April 1945), Buchenwald (11th April 1945), Stutthof (9th May 1945), and other Nazi camps exposed the full scale of the Holocaust, reminding the world of the devastating consequences of hatred, indoctrination, and indifference.
With antisemitic incidents on the rise worldwide, the IHRA warns of the dangers of allowing such hatred to go unchallenged and the serious repercussions when it becomes normalised within societies. Antisemitism not only impacts Jewish populations but attacks the very foundation of democratic and open societies. If hatred against Jews is tolerated, it signals that some groups can be excluded from the protection of democratic norms, undermining the entire system.
To combat antisemitism, the IHRA is urging individuals, civil society organisations and governments to work together to unequivocally denounce all incidents of antisemitism, advance Holocaust education, remembrance and research, and protect Jewish populations from discrimination.
Michaela Küchler, IHRA Secretary General, says:
“As nations celebrate VE Day 80 this May, we must also reflect on the horrific realities of the Holocaust. The liberation of camps like Bergen-Belsen and Theresienstadt revealed crimes so profound that they challenged the foundations of civilisation. 8th May is a day of remembrance. Commemorating the victims and the survivors must therefore remain an integral part of VE Day 80 to educate future generations about the dangers of hatred and prejudice.
“This is especially important at a time when we are seeing an unprecedented rise in antisemitism worldwide, with Jewish populations increasingly under threat both online and offline. As antisemitism moves closer to the mainstream, it is vital that we learn what history has shown us can happen when such hatred becomes normalised.
“As an international organisation dedicated to Holocaust education, remembrance, and research, we encourage governments and civil society to work together across borders to combat antisemitism at the source and to protect our democratic societies.”
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) unites governments and experts to strengthen, advance and promote Holocaust education, remembrance, and research worldwide and uphold the commitments of the 2000 Stockholm Declaration and the 2020 IHRA Ministerial Declaration. For more information, please contact Mara Antoce at mara.antoce@plmr.co.uk or +44 (0)785 284 4323.
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