Danby: Auschwitz Announcement A Validation Of The Struggle And Survival Of Our Survivors

Danby: Auschwitz announcement a validation of the struggle and survival of our survivors

Tuesday, 31 July 2012 03:00

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• Gerard Henderson on the Insiders said of the announcement:  At the commencement of the London Olympics it is appropriate to remember the 11 Israeli athletes murdered at Munich, even if the IOC won’t. And last Thursday the Prime Minister announced half a million dollars for the Auschwitz-Birkeanu site..this was a good decision. The timing was excellent. Click here

Last Thursday night, Prime Minister Julia Gillard joined Michael Danby MP, Federal Member for Melbourne Ports and Mark Dreyfus, Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Federal Member for Isaacs at the Jewish Holocaust Centre to announce Australia's contribution to the Auschwitz Foundation Project. Australia joined the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Israel, Germany, France, New Zealand and Poland in providing funding to restore and preserve the memorial site at Auschwitz-Birkeanu. The Prime Minister, Mr Danby and Mr Dreyfus were also joined by  Liberal Federal Member for Kooyong Josh Frydenberg.

Mark Dreyfus MP, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Michael Danby MP

In front of 330 attendees, including survivors of the Shoah, the Bosnian-Herzigovnia Ambassador Dr Damir Arnaut, the US Consul General, the Polish Consul General, French Consul General and the Uk Consul General, Prime Minster Julia Gillard announced Australia's half million dollar donation to the Auschwitz Foundation Project. The announcement demonstrated  that the Australian Government recognises our survivors of the Holocaust  and the impact they have had on Australian society.

The Prime Ministers announcement outlined Australia’s part in educating and informing future generations about the paradigm of evil through conserving the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Site.

Speakers included Zvi Civins, Education Director at the Jewish Holocaust Centre and Willy Lermer, a Survivor.

Michael Danby and Mark Dreyfus both gave moving speeches about their grandparents who perished during the Holocaust.

Mr Danby spoke of his pride in representing the Jewish Community and survivors of the Holocaust and the need to remember.

"I will visit Poland at the end of this year, with my wife Amanda and others, and I will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, and stand on the soil and will shout, as former Israel Chief Rabbi Lau, "We survived, we will never forget."  Danby said.

Mr Danby emotionally spoke of his grandparents perishing at Auschwitz and how there is not a day that goes by without him thinking about them.

"The meeting was a Validation of the life and struggle for survival of the Survivors" Mr Danby said.

Mr Danby guided the Prime Minister, along with survivor Abe Goldberg, around the Jewish Holocaust Centre's Museum, and paused with the Prime Minister and survivor Kita Altman as they lit a candle in honour of the 6 million Jews murdered during the Shoah.