Auschwitz Survivor Warns "World Has Become Toxic" on Liberation 80th Anniversary of Camp Deaths
As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a survivor of the notorious concentration camp has issued a stark warning about the current state of the world. Roman Kent, a 96-year-old Auschwitz survivor, has spoken out about the alarming similarities between the toxic atmosphere of the 1940s and the present day.
Kent, who was just 19 years old when he was deported to Auschwitz in 1943, has seen firsthand the horrors of the Holocaust. He spent three years in the camp, where he was subjected to forced labor, starvation, and brutal treatment by the Nazi guards. After the war, Kent dedicated his life to spreading awareness about the Holocaust and promoting tolerance and understanding.
Speaking to a crowd of dignitaries and survivors at a ceremony in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Kent said: "I am shocked and saddened to see that the world has become just as toxic and divided as it was during my time in Auschwitz. The hate, the prejudice, the anti-Semitism – it’s all still here, and it’s getting worse."
Kent pointed to the rise of far-right extremism, the spread of misinformation and propaganda, and the increasing polarization of society as evidence of the world’s descent into toxicity. He also highlighted the alarming growth of anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes around the world.
"It’s not just the Jews who are being targeted," Kent said. "It’s people of all faiths, all backgrounds, and all beliefs. The hate is spreading, and it’s up to us to stop it."
Kent’s warning comes as the world marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, which took place on January 27, 1945. The camp, located in occupied Poland, was the largest and most notorious of the Nazi concentration camps, and an estimated 1.1 million people were killed there, including 960,000 Jews.
The ceremony at Auschwitz-Birkenau was attended by world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and European Union leaders. The event featured a memorial service, a reading of the names of the victims, and a candle-lighting ceremony.
Kent’s message was echoed by other survivors and dignitaries at the ceremony. "We must learn from the past and work together to build a better future," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. "We cannot let the hatred and intolerance of the past be repeated in the present."
As the world marks this somber anniversary, Roman Kent’s warning serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of standing up against hate and promoting tolerance, understanding, and peace.
