Holocaust Memorial Day was marked by a special service at the Greenside in Maybole last Saturday. January 27 at 11am. Organised by Maybole Branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland the service was led by Rev Dave Whiteman and Fr Stephen McGrattan, and marshalled by Alex Davidson.

Piper Adam Hastings played the lament and George Taylor and Janetta Rodger laid wreaths on behalf of the Legion. Standard bearers were William Milligan and Robert Malone. Mr Whiteman welcomed everyone saying, “We meet this morning to remember those who lived and died through those terrible days of the Holocaust.”

He continued, “Holocaust Memorial Day is held on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. The word holocaust is taken from the Old Testament and it refers to the complete destruction of something by fire. We come today to remember the attempted complete destruction of the nation of Israel by the Nazis in World War II. Names like Auschwitz, Belsen and Treblenka remind us of the horrors of the death camps and quite rightly we remember them.”

The theme for 2007 is The Dignity of Difference, and Mr Whiteman said, “We should also remember that the holocaust was not just against the Jews but it was also against the intellectuals of whichever nation, the disabled and the mentally ill were particular targets, homosexuals, gypsies; in fact anyone who was part of a minority group was seen as a legitimate target.”

Victims of more recent atrocities were also remembered. “Today we renew our commitment to combat racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia wherever we may find it,” added Mr Whiteman, “and commit ourselves to working for an inclusive, caring and open society.” 

Last Friday, UN General Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution condemning Holocaust denial. The resolution, proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by more than 100 countries, says "ignoring the historical fact of these terrible events increases the risk they will be repeated".