Gov. Ricketts Proclaims "Holocaust Remembrance Day" in Nebraska

Press Release

Today, the Office of Governor Pete Ricketts announced an executive order declaring January 27th of each year as Holocaust Remembrance Day in Nebraska. Gov. Ricketts also issued a proclamation specifically designating January 27, 2022 as Holocaust Remembrance Day.

When the Nazi regime came to power in 1933, it coordinated a widespread persecution of Jewish people, which intensified into an all-out genocide. By the end of World War II in 1945, six million Jewish men, women, and children had been murdered by the Nazis and their accomplices. January 27th marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps.

"The evil and depravity of the crimes against humanity committed during the Holocaust are a cause of unspeakable sorrow," reads the Governor's proclamation. "Nebraskans mourn the Holocaust and are committed to transmitting its history and lessons to future generations."

This session, the Nebraska Legislature is considering the Anti-Discrimination Against Israel Act (LB 845). As a practical way to combat antisemitism, the bill proposes to disallow the State of Nebraska from engaging in major contracts with entities that are boycotting Israel. The Governor has also directed State agencies to review their anti-discrimination policies to ensure acts of antisemitism are included as discrimination.

The Institute for Holocaust Education in Omaha tells the stories of Holocaust survivors who moved to Nebraska and settled in the Cornhusker State. Click here to read their stories.

The Nebraska State Holocaust Memorial is located at Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln. More information about the memorial is available by clicking here.

Source