On 28th January 2020, the Cynon Valley Museum Trust was proud to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2020, 75 years after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. The Cynon Valley Museum worked closely with Pontypridd Museum, the Welsh Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park, and local artist Catrin Doyle in the creation of two chandeliers to reflect the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s 75 Flames project. Local people from across RCT were invited to take part in workshops to produce flames to form a part of the overall installation. Each group invited represented a group of people who were persecuted by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The art works are now on public display in the Cynon Valley Museum.
At the event, the Cynon Valley Museum was joined by Dr. Daryl Leeworthy who gave the audience an overview of the local impact of the Holocaust, and shared stories of local people in RCT. We also had poignant presentations from local students including:
- Year 10 pupils from Aberdare Community School who shared their experience of visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau
- Youth Police Volunteers who shared their own 75 Flames artwork and their thoughts following a visit to the Imperial War Museum.
- Members of the Treorchy Library Book Club who shared original pieces of poetry reflecting on the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s theme for 2020 of “Stand Together”
The event was closed by Gerhard Kress who shared recollections of his mother from wartime Germany and played a responsive piece for the audience on his violin.
The CVMT is very grateful for the support of the event’s partners, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cohesive Communities Department, Catrin Doyle and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.
