Holocaust survivor to tell his story as Redditch remembers

Buy photos » Holocaust survivor Dr Martin Stern will speak as part of events to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in Redditch.

A MAN who suffered at the hands of the Nazis will tell his story as part of events in Redditch to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Dr Martin Stern was born in 1938 and lived in Holland. He survived concentration camps at both Westerbork and Theresienstadt. Although only being a toddler at the time he still can recall the misery and suffering and how he narrowly avoided being loaded on a train destined for the gas chamber at Auschwitz.

He will tell his story in his own words during a talk at Redditch Town Hall at 11.45pm next Saturday (January 26).

Prior to that a procession will leave the Town Hall at 10.30am for the Kingfisher Shopping Centre where at 10.45am a ceremony will be held.

At 11.20am the group will then march to the Holocaust Marker on Church Green for another shorter ceremony before returning to the Town Hall for the talk.

The aim of the day is to remember the victims of all genocide around the world and to make a public commitment to ensure it never happens again.

Redditch MP Karen Lumley has played her part in pledging to honour those who died in the Holocaust by signing the Book of Commitment.

The book, placed in Parliament by the Holocaust Educational Trust in the weeks leading up to the annual Memorial Day, pays tribute to both those who died during the atrocity and those who survived and have gone on to educate young people about what they endured.

Mrs Lumley said: "I encourage all constituents to mark the day and to join members of the community in the fight against prejudice and intolerance."

Karen Pollock, the trust's chief executive, added: "It is vitally important we both remember and learn from the appalling events of the Holocaust, as well as ensuring we continue to challenge all forms of hatred and bigotry."

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