Holocaust Remembrance Day: 80th year of Liberation of Auschwitz shows importance of keeping memories alive

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Holocaust Remembrance Day: 80th year of Liberation of Auschwitz shows importance of keeping memories alive

It happened in Germany, it could happen here.

The sentiment from Rivka Majteles — who was Perth’s last living Auschwitz survivor until her passing just over a year ago — is one which has stuck with her son Sol Majteles for the past 50 years.

The words came in response to an anti-Semitic attack on the east coast five decades ago and they were the crux of why his late mother felt so strongly about educating the next generation of the atrocities of the Holocaust which she experienced.

“Germany was the most educated, cultured place on the planet, Jews were in every facet of society, doctors, lawyers, the military, the judiciary everywhere and look what happened, so don’t tell me it can’t happen here,” Mr Majteles recounted his mother telling him.

“I’m almost glad my mother’s not alive to see what’s happening in her lifetime here in Australia, she warned me 50 years ago, I didn’t believe her, I believe her now.”

January 27 marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a day recognised each year as Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The annual day has taken even more significance for many in the community this year, given rising numbers of anti-Semitic incidents in the country, primarily on the eastern coast.

Camera IconRivka Majteles with husband Chaim (left) with two of the people who helped them emigrate to Perth after surviving Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz Credit: Supplied

Originally from Romania, Mrs Majteles was sent to Auschwitz at the age of 13, there she faced horrific conditions and only survived in part due to pure luck.

Mrs Majteles was eventually rescued as the allied forces took the upper hand in the war when she, along with around 200 to 300 other children were sent to Denmark by train.

Both of Mr Majteles’ parents survived Auschwitz and met in a Jewish expat community near Munich before moving to Australia in 1950.

His father Chaim Majteles also passed on his experience to younger generations before his passing 20 years ago.

Mr Majteles said the lessons learnt from the Holocaust were as important as ever to pass on in today’s climate.

“Have a look what’s happening, have a look at synagogues being torched, cars being torched, Nazi symbols being daubed on houses and businesses in Sydney because it was owned by Jewish people being attempted burned out,” he said.

“Is that normal society, no, is it normal *********** society, we’ve never seen such things in Australia in my lifetime.”

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Camera IconRivka Majteles and her son Sol Majteles pictured in 2020. Credit: Ian Munro/The West ***********

Mr Majteles has been the president of the HIWA for more than a decade and shares his parents’ stories.

He said the education his mother did was incredibly important.

Mrs Majteles passed away at the age of 93 but kept up her educational talks through the Holocaust Institute of Western Australia until just three months before she passed.

“We worked hard to get her to tell her stories, a unique story and she started then to speak to the students in her own language about what had happened to her,” he said.

“It was very impactful, the students were really moved by seeing a woman who was then in her 80s — she did it right up until she was 93 when she passed — talking to them as any other human being would about this is what happened to me and don’t ever believe it can’t happen again.”

HIWA education director Judith Lawrence said education remained pivotal to trying to prevent a repeat of history.

“Our role is really to bridge that gap between a history lesson that doesn’t seem relevant and as the years march on might feel as relevant as ancient Egypt and bridging that gap,” she said.

“We’re drawing those connections between the past and present through engaging innovative education, trying to spark critical thinking and moral responsibility.”

Ms Lawrence said the level of anti-Semitism in today’s climate was risk to the *********** way of life.

“It (anti-Semitism) is really disproportionate to the size of the ********* that we are in society and that’s due to I suppose propaganda, social media, lack of media literacy and we have to recognise it for what it is and call it out,” she said.

“As history teaches us it will break the beautiful multicultural tapestry of the *********** values and way of life, it will start to tear at that if we’re not going to act.

“It can’t just be remembrance, it needs to be active, this remembrance must lead to action.”

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