The St. Louis Park City Council passed a proclamation this month observing Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945 and is meant to honor the memory of the six million Jewish adults and children who were murdered, and the millions of others who were killed or suffered persecution at the hands of the Nazi campaign of dehumanization and genocide. Their lives and memory teach us the importance not only of acknowledging the past but acting in the present to educate ourselves and fight antisemitism and hate.

To honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the City of St. Louis Park invites you to:

• Educate yourself and others about the Holocaust:
  • The Origins of International Holocaust Remembrance Day | The National WWII Museum
  • How LGBTQ Victims Were Erased From Holocaust History | TIME
  • Families of Roma Holocaust Victims Fight for Recognition |TIME
  • Hadamar: The Forgotten Holocaust | MNDDC
  • American Eugenics and the Nazi Regime | PBS
• Explore the stories of Holocaust survivors in Minnesota
  • University of Minnesota Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies Collection

Proclamation

The International Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation reads:

Whereas, the horrors of the Holocaust represent a tremendous loss of life and humanity and remains a present memory for the generations of survivors, many of whom live in our community; and

Whereas, it is important to acknowledge the painful history of racism and eugenics in the United States that set the foundation for Nazi Germany's campaign of sterilization and persecution of any communities deemed “undesirable”; and

Whereas, across the world, more than 245,000 survivors of the Holocaust demonstrate resilience against all odds by continuing to pass on their culture, traditions and faith in the face of persecution; and

Whereas, educating ourselves about the events leading up to and during the Holocaust, including the role of the United States, is part of how we ensure that this horror never happens again; and

Whereas, St. Louis Park is committed to being a leader in racial equity and inclusion and strives to be a place of safety and respect for Jewish communities, their faith, traditions and ways of life; and

Whereas, honoring International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity to recommit ourselves to standing against government actions or inactions which dehumanize, displace, and bring violence to any group of people, religion, age, race, ability or sexual orientation,

Now therefore, let it be known that the mayor and city council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, hereby proclaim January 27, 2026, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in St. Louis Park.