May 06, 2014
2014 Days of Remembrance
On May 2, 2014, the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, on behalf of the State of Georgia, hosted the annual State Official Observance “Holocaust Days of Remembrance” of the victims of the Holocaust. The observance began at 11am in the North Wing of the State Capitol.
This year, Holocaust remembrance week was April 27–May 4, 2014. The Museum designated "Confronting the Holocaust: American Responses" as the theme for the 2014 observance.
The Governor of Georgia annually issues proclamations declaring the Friday following the USHMM Days of Remembrance as Georgia's official Days of Remembrance.
Six candles were lit by Holocaust survivors in remembrance of the six million Jews that were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. The 2014 Candlelighters are:
- Hebert Kohn
read by the Honorable Secretary of State Brian Kemp
and escorted by Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Hugh Thompson - Henry Gallant
read by Vice Dean of the Atlanta Consular Corps and Consul General of Ireland Paul Gleeson
and escorted by Consul General of Haiti Gandy Thomas - Ben Hirsch
read by the Consul General of the Republic of France Denis Barbet
and escorted by Consul General of Japan Kazuo Sunaga
(Ben was unable to attend so Consul General Sunaga will light the candle on his behalf.) - Henry Birnbrey
read by Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany Christoph Sander
and escorted by Deputy Consul of Mexico Edurne Pineda - Karen Edlin in memory of her parents Lola and Rubin Lanksy
read by Mayor of Sandy Springs Rusty Paul
and escorted by Honorary Consul of Czech Republic George Novak - Hershel Greenblat
read by Rabbi Peter Berg
and escorted by Senator Butch Miller and Representative Broadrick
In addition to the lighting of the candles, Melanie Nelkin was presented with the 2014 Humanitarian Award. Lesley McClendon was named Distinguished Educator of 2014. The student winners of the 2014 Art, Writing & Music Contest were also recognized.
View more photos.
CONTENT: Photos: 2014 Days of Remembrance (photo_gallery)
The United States Congress established the Days of Remembrance as our nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust and created the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as a permanent living memorial to the victims. Since 1982, the USHMM has organized and led the national Days of Remembrance ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, with Holocaust survivors, liberators, members of Congress, White House officials, the diplomatic corps, and community leaders in attendance.