Corrections in ‘After the War: commemoration and celebration in Europe’ Amsterdam, May 19, 2016

Dear colleagues,

Thank you for your response on the English version of our report After the war about commemoration and celebration in Europe as was presented by the Natio- nal Committee on 4 and 5 May in Budapest in June 2015. We are pleased that you believe that it is certainly good to have such an overview.

We endorse your conclusion that our publication was a first exploration on a new subject, that it has to be improved in some points and that additional research is necessary and desirable. In the near future we will publish a new digital version in which all relevant comments and suggestions have been processed. In attach- ment, you will find all changes made.

Discussing the topic of commemoration and celebration traditions with IHRA experts is certainly useful. During our research, we therefore did ask the IHRA-members both as a group and individually to help us. Unfortunately, while working on this subject we hardly received any response from IHRA-experts. We are grateful that several members did respond after receiving the publication.

The methodology is explained in the introduction, that also provides answers to some of the questions raised by IHRA-experts. We did not have the intention to execute a fully academic research. As our time and resources were very limited, we had to work with what we did manage to find out. Questionnaires were used as a starting point. We expected to get interesting further contacts, sources and information about official holidays and remembrance days (not just those con- nected to war), especially in those countries where we did not have many contacts yet.

Thank you for pointing out to us that some texts in the English version were not as academic or objective as necessary. These are partly mistakes in the transla- tion. We have changed the text in order to improve this.

The entries will be put in alphabetical order according to the English (and not the Dutch) language. Some wording however is correct. For example, the report does not state that the war lasted six days in the Netherlands, it says that the armed conflict lasted for six days.

We have tried to mention only those commemoration days that are formally con- sidered as such (often this means that they have to be mentioned in the country’s laws). This might not always coincide with what IHRA-members consider to be

1 important commemoration dates.

We realize that some commemoration days are under debate. We choose not to explore those debates and mostly limited ourselves to the present situation. The purpose of this research project was to give an overview of traditions of com- memoration and celebration in Europe. Through the whole report attention was given to the Holocaust. Feedback from IHRA-experts concerning the Holocaust was processed and it enriched this report. However, this is not a research about Holocaust remembrance days in Europe. In general, only information concer- ning official national days of remembrance was presented.

Last but not least: a lot of responses consisted of additions, that we have gratefully accepted. However, due to a lack of space in general and per country we cannot publish all of these comments. We ask for your understanding.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding and hope to have provided you with sufficient information.

Yours sincerely,

Esther Captain Head of research National Committee on 4 and 5 May

2 Corrections in ‘After the War: commemoration and celebration in Europe’

Austria

* First paragraph (page 29): Victims of World War II -> victims of Mauthausen The day is named ‘Day against violence and racism’. * [Added:] Since 2013 there is a large public event in the center of Vienna, on Heldenplatz, commemorating Austria’s liberation from National Socialist rule on May 8th. It is named ‘Fest der Freude’ (Feast of Joy) and is organized by the Mauthausen Committee, with the support of the Jewish community, the Documentation Archive of Austrian Resistance and NGO’s.

Belgium

* [Added:] In addition to Remembrance Day, Belgium also observes Holo- caust Memorial Day and Yom Hashoah to remember the victims of the Holocaust. In Flanders, there are two sites of remembrance of great importance concerning the commemoration of the Second World War and the Holocaust in particular. The museum Kazerne Dossin and the Fortress of Breendonk, where the persecution of political opponents of the Nazi re- gime is commemorated. Each year, the National Association of Breendonk Survivors organizes a national pilgrimage on the 22nd of September.

France

* 11 November is dedicated to the remembrance of the Armistice that ended the first World War, to the victory and peace and to all the victims who died for France. * [Changed]: 8 May commemorates the end of World War II. * [Added]: Day for the Commemoration of Victims of Political Deportation, the last Sunday of April. * There is no mention of places of commemoration, because this report is about commemoration dates and not about places.

Germany

* (p16). Last sentence of first paragraph is changed: Another reason is that the Germans in recent decades have developed an extra-ordinarily self- reflexive view of their occupying role in the past. * [Shortened:] Since 1919, Germany has marked Volkstrauertag, a national day of mourning held on 16 November, or the Sunday closest to it. This day was established to commemorate German soldiers who died in World War

3 I. It was not officially recognized, however, because the Weimar constitution made no provisions for special holidays. As a result, the day has a different status from state to state within federal Germany. The Na- tional Socialists were the first to enshrine it, assigning it the official status of Heldengedenktag or Heroes Commemoration Day. Hero worship became its main ingredient. It was not until 1952 that the ‘celebratory’ nature of this commemoration was reevaluated. In order to reinstate its character as a day of mourning, Parliament moved the new national remembrance day toward the end of the year. Ever since, Volkstrauertag has been observed in November. * [Added:] The Bundestag observes a ‘remembrance hour’, during which the federal president delivers an address for the chancellor and the govern- ment. Survivors and the relatives of victims play a very important part in the ceremony. Known survivors as Yehuda Bauer and Zoni Weisz spoke in the Bundestag. * German Unity Day is changed in Unification Day. * (Kristallnacht is a clear term in the Netherlands.)

Ireland

* [Added:] Commemoration in Ireland takes place mainly in the context of the Decade of Centenaries, which marks the key events that shaped the history of the island of Ireland between 1912 and 1922. * [Paragraph about Holocaust Memorial Day, rewritten:] Ireland recognizes Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January. Since 2003 the Holocaust Education Trust Ireland, with the support of the Irish Department for Justice and Equality and Dublin City Council, has organized a commem- orative event on the Sunday closest to 27 January. It is held in the Dublin Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor, and is attended by some 700 people every year. The ceremony includes readings, survivors’ recollections, music and candle-lighting. Six candles are lit for the six mil- lion Jewish people who perished in the Holocaust as well as candles for all of the other victim groups.

Israel

* The law regarding Yom Hashoah was passed in 1951. * [New phrase:] Israel decided to observe Yom Hashoah on the 27th day of Nissan in the Hebrew Calender. * Israel Independence day is a Holiday. * [added] May 9 Memorial Day for Victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. * [added] The main ceremony opening of Yom Hashoah is held at Yad

4 Vashem, a nationally broadcasted ceremony in which six Holocaust survi- vors light memorial flames. The President and Prime minister speak at this ceremony. * The comment about Ultra-orthodox Jews is erased.

Italy

* 1915 Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary.

Luxembourg

* The comments consist a lot of dates of commemoration in Luxembourg that are local, regional or important dates for Holocaust-remembrance but not of national relevance. * [added] Holocaust Memorial Day: In Luxembourg Holocaust Memorial Day is organized by a different secondary school every year. The school orga- nizes an opening ceremony that is attended by government officials, mem- bers of parliament and representatives of the Jewish community and of the resistance movements.

The Netherlands

* By ‘survivors’ we mean ‘survivors of the Second World War’. This is clear in the Dutch context.

Norway

* Introduction, rewritten: World War II brutally involved Denmark and Norway, when Nazi-Germany attacked the two countries on April 9, 1940. While Denmark surrendered, Norway took up a fight against the intru- ders, lasting 62 days. The Norwegian government and the King and Crown Prince managed to leave the country to lead the fight in exile in London during the war. Norway remained occupied by Nazi-Germany for five years, until its liberation on 8 May 1945. During the war, the Norwegians expe- rienced a strong attack on their values and the occupiers tried to impose Nazi culture and attitudes upon the society. Resistance and opposition developed. * Since the war, 8 May has been celebrated as Liberation Day: a flag-flying day to commemorate the end of the war, [added] but first and foremost to commemorate the men and women who lost their lives during the Nazi- occupation.

5 Sweden

* Swedish Flag Day is renamed: Swedish National Day. * The typo is corrected: 23 of August instead of 26.

Switzerland

* Swiss Confederation (instead of Swiss Federation).

Russia

* p. 58: The word aweinspiring (ontzagwekkend in Dutch) is lost in trans- lation: it should be translated as “grand”, “impressive” or “awecomman- ding” military parade. * p. 58: Some analysts suggest that the Russians attach such great value to this war victory because there is little in their recent past to be proud of. (in stead of Perhaps the Russians...) * p. 60: “to make matters worse”. The Dutch version does not say this. This comment that was added by the translator has been deleted from the English version.

Ukraine

* We have removed the text about Holodomor to be able to add some infor- mation to this paragraph based on comments provided about the role of Ukrainian nationalists: At the end of 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union divided up Poland. East- Galicia and Volhynia became part of the Soviet Republic of Ukraine. On 22 June 1941, Hitler’s troops invaded. About seven million Ukrainians died in World War II, both civilians and soldiers fighting with (or against) the Red Army. Approximately a million Jews were killed, many of whom were hunted and murdered by Ukrainian nationalists. * p. 61, third paragraph: Though we are limited in space, we have added to Yushchenko’s election win the text: A significant part of his support came from Western Ukraine, including from ultra-nationalists. They strongly encourage the commemoration of the actions of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, who are controversial as they were also involved in the killing of Poles and Jews.

Belarus

* p. 63: We have changed the text and included the number of Jews killed:

6 Belarus suffered enormously from the Drang nach Osten and the extermi- nation policies of the Nazis. At least twenty percent of Belarus’s nine million citizens lost their lives during World War II, about half of them Jews and including most of the intellectual elite.

Lithuania

* In the text the Day of the Genocide on the Population of East Prussia is mentioned as ‘a Soviet genocide’. Here, the translator took too much free- dom: in the Dutch version it is called ‘ethnic cleansing’.

Yugoslavia & Croatia

* p. 74: we addressed the differences between the regimes in Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia by changing the text into: Following the Axis occupation, puppet governments came to power in Serbia and Montenegro, while Croatia stayed far more independent. * p. 75 changed into: The Fascist Ustaša movement, which rose to power after the Germans invaded Yugoslavia, were responsible for the killing of Jews and Serbians. * p. 76, left paragraph: the sentence about Yom Hashoah in Croatia is not- clear enough. It has been changed into: State authorities take part in Yom Hashoah and Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations. (However, these are no official holidays or commemoration dates, so they are not added to the overview list of official public holidays and commemo- ration days.)

Macedonia

* p. 77: Revolution Day changed into Uprising Day * Since 1953, the deportation of Jews to Treblinka is commemorated: The deportation of Jews to Treblinka is commemorated.

Bulgaria

* p. 81: Uneasy Celebration: The right words were chosen, as it does not re- late to commemorating the Holocaust. However, this headline was placed on the wrong spot in the text by the editor. It is replaced to the next para- graph.

7 Hungary

* p. 82: The text was changed into: In the hope of preventing Soviet occupation, Horthy entered a dialogue with the Allies. In March 1944, Germany invaded Hungary. Less than a month later, on 16 April 1944, the Ungarn-Aktion, or Hungarian Holocaust, began. In a few months time, 438,000 of Hungary’s 840,000 Jews were sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau and murdered. By then, antisemitic laws under Horthy as well as forced labor battalions had already caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Jewish men. In October 1944 Horthy was ousted. * p. 82: In general, we only mention what is happening, not whether this is right or wrong. As there has been a lot of discussion about the House of Terror, some information was added: The House of Terror hosts a memorial concert. However this museum is high- ly controversial, f.e. because it ignores the anti-Semitic policies of the Horthy period.

Romania

* p. 86: The opening paragraph was adjusted to make clear that Romania was an active part of the Axis during most of the war: changed into: In World War II, Romania initially declared neutrality, but throughout most of the war it fought alongside Nazi Germany and only after a coup d’état in 1944 Romania joined the Allies. * p. 86: Though this report is not about the Holocaust we have added: Romania’s role in the Holocaust was frequently denied in the last decades. A law punishing public denial of the Holocaust was created in 2002 and amended in 2015, in part, as a reaction to a growing movement to rehabilitate Ion Antonescu, the pro-fascist dictator who had overseen the deaths of about 280,000 Jews and 11,000 Roma people in Romania during the war. * p. 86: “Because Romania is continually maneuvering between East and West, it is difficult to give a clear description of how the nation commemo- rates war”. The translation has been changed into: ...to give an unambigu- ous vision of how...

Slovakia

* p. 88, left paragraph – Hitler took over Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939, and not in 1938. This text indeed might lead to misunderstanding, especially in the English translation. Meant is that Hitler started taking con- trol from 1938 (by taking control of Sudetenland, later in 1939 followed by Bohemia and Moravia). The text will be edited to avoid misunderstandings: In 1938 Hitler took control of Sudetenland. In 1939, Bohemia and Moravia were occupied and a third of Slovakia was ceded to Hungary. Slovakia offi- cially became independent... 8