Jewish Memorial in Liberec to mark 70 years since Kristallnacht

The newly-opened memorial commemorates Nazi riots against Jews. (ČTK)

Liberec, Nov 9 (CTK) - The Memorial to Holocaust Victims
that was presented to the public today will also be a venue of cultural
events and people's meetings, Jewish Community in Liberec chairman Michal
Hron said today.

The memorial has been created in the former ceremony hall of the local
Jewish cemetery. It was symbolically opened 70 years after the
Kristallnacht that unleashed the "final solution" to the Jewish issue that
claimed the lives of six million Jews.

The inauguration of the memorial was also attended by Jews from Israel,
Germany, the United States and Australia.

Czech Senate chairman Premysl Sobotka said such memorials must be built for
people not to forget about the past and not to allow anything like this to
repeat.

Before World War Two some 1600 Jews lived in Liberec. A mere 37 of them did
not die in concentration and internment camps.

The reconstruction of the hall has cost more than seven million crowns. The
Liberec town hall contributed 4.75 million crowns, the regional authority
provided 2.5 million crowns. The rest comes from private donors and the
Holocaust victims foundation.

The Jewish cemetery has also been reconstructed.