The Importance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day

- How do we confront this rising tide of hatred?

Today, January 27, marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a time to honour the six million Jews and millions of other innocent victims murdered during the Holocaust. It is also a day to reaffirm our collective responsibility to confront antisemitism, racism, and hatred in all its forms—a responsibility that feels more urgent than ever.

In today’s Svenska Dagbladet, a deeply moving column reminds us of the long shadow cast by the Holocaust and its devastating, enduring impact on families. Stories of survival, loss, and resilience illustrate the stark reality of how hatred eroded the vibrant Jewish communities of Central Europe. These stories also serve as a mirror to the challenges we face today, 80 years after Auschwitz was liberated.

What should deeply concern us all is the rise of antisemitism in Sweden and across Europe. The statistics are alarming: antisemitic hate crimes in Sweden have surged by 450 per cent in the wake of recent geopolitical events. Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centers increasingly resemble fortresses, their safety threatened by a tide of hostility that comes from multiple directions—extreme right, radical left, and imported ideologies from other parts of the world. As the column chillingly notes, slogans of "murder the Jews" are heard again, even in places where such hatred was once unthinkable.

This is not merely a historical problem. It is a pressing and contemporary challenge. To forget the Holocaust is to risk repeating its horrors. When antisemitic chants are normalized on our streets, when demonstrators openly glorify terror organizations, and when Holocaust survivors feel less safe in Sweden today than when they first arrived, we must ask: what kind of society are we building?

As the Svenska Dagbladet column rightly asserts, the Swedish justice system has failed to take decisive action against antisemitic incitement. Laws that should protect against hate speech have not been enforced consistently, leaving many to question the strength of our democratic values. It is time for Sweden to send a clear message: there is no room for antisemitism, no matter its guise or origin.

Holocaust Remembrance Day is not only about remembering the victims but also about recognizing the signs of hatred and intolerance in our midst. As individuals and as a society, we must ensure that "Never Again" is not an empty slogan but a guiding principle for action. This includes education, stricter enforcement of laws against hate crimes, and fostering interfaith and intercultural dialogue to counteract ignorance and prejudice.

On this solemn day, let us reflect on the lessons of the Holocaust and take concrete steps to ensure that its horrors are never repeated. We owe it to the victims, the survivors, and future generations. Let us not allow the shadows of history to darken our present nor our future.

What do you think? How can we do more to fight antisemitism? 

Share your thoughts and join the conversation.

Mathias Knutsson