Ambassador Samash: Holocaust in Romania, one of darkest history pages

Ambassador of the State of Israel to Romania Tamar Samash affirmed that the shoah is undoubtedly one of the darkest periods in the history of the world and of our consciousness. 

The Holocaust in Romania undoubtedly remains one of the darkest pages of history, but this must be assumed, acknowledged and understood so as to avoid that such tragedies ever happen again, Tamar Samash said at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Holocaust Memorial in Bucharest. 

The ambassador said that no appropriate words exist to describe the horrors of that period in history. 

The Holocaust in Romania is different from the Holocaust in other European countries. Here it was about a radicalisation process of the Romanian gov't's policy under Antonescu's regime, who has annexed Romania to the German war. Starting with 1940 severe anti-Semitic measures occurred, an intensification of the violence, included. (...). The Holocaust is, first of all, a story of humankind, a story about men, women, children. (...) Six million Jews, one million and a half of children included, were murdered during the Holocaust in the countries occupied by Nazi Germany. Should we forget them, we kill them again. Therefore, we want today to remember together the people who perished and those who survived, but also to be grateful to those who have fought and endangered their lives to fight oppression, Tamar Samash asserted. 

The official said that one must not forget that there still are people who deny the Holocaust, and that this could be put right with the help of education. 

Unfortunately, these days people still exist all over the world and also here in Romania who out of ignorance or meanness deny the Holocaust. That is why education has a paramount role in combating ignorance and prejudice and in the enlightenment of the people's minds and souls whilst seeding the values of democracy and cultural pluralism into the new generations, the Ambassador of Israel to Romania stressed. 

The Romanian authorities manifested a strong commitment in their fight against anti-Semitism and the denial of Holocaust and for this I voice my deep appreciation, Tamar Samash added.