After 80 years: Switzerland commemorates the victims of the Shoah

27 January 2025 marks the annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It also marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. On this date, the millions of people who were persecuted, deported and murdered during the Holocaust are remembered worldwide. It is also remembered and commemorated in Switzerland. Numerous public buildings will be symbolically illuminated on the evening of 27 January. The focus here is on the Bundeshaus (Federal Palace) in Bern.

#WeRemember worldwide and in Switzerland too

This nationwide campaign is part of the global #WeRemember initiative, which is supported by the World Jewish Congress, the umbrella organisation for national Jewish associations. In Switzerland, the initiative is carried out by the two Jewish organizations: the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities SIG and the Platform of Liberal Jews in Switzerland PLJS.The #WeRemember campaign aims to remind the world of the consequences if hatred grows unchecked.

The Holocaust represents the systematic persecution and murder of six million Jewish people and other minorities by the Nazis and their allies during the Second World War. As a place and as a term, Auschwitz is representative of these terrible crimes and the immeasurable suffering of the victims. The Soviet soldiers were presented with a horrible picture when they reached the Auschwitz camp complex on 27 January 1945. They encountered emaciated prisoners who were at the end of their strength, as well as countless bodies. The number of people who were systematically murdered in Auschwitz alone amounts to 1.1 million to 1.5 million. About a million of them were Jews – men, women and children.

It is essential to communicate the history of the Holocaust and to promote understanding of the events that led to one of the greatest tragedies of modern times. In this way, we can help to prevent future hate crimes, including genocide, on the grounds of religion, ethnicity or other differences.

Illumination of the Federal Palace as a symbol of humanity

Public and state institutions around the world are taking part in the initiative. In Switzerland, the Federal Palace will be illuminated in a variety of colours on the evening of 27 January. The lettering ‘#WeRemember’ will also be displayed. Numerous other cantons, cities and municipalities are also taking part with their own initiatives. The illumination of these public buildings on this special day of remembrance – especially at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise again – is intended to send a silent message against hatred and exclusion and for humanity, as well as to recall one of the darkest chapters in European history and its countless victims.

The SIG and the PLJS thank the parties involved

The SIG and the PLJS are deeply moved by the positive response and would like to thank the political institutions and all stakeholders involved in Switzerland for supporting this important commemoration event and making it possible.

‘We have a responsibility to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive. It is an obligation to the victims, and at the same time a reminder that we must protect our freedom, democracy and humanity for the benefit of all.’

Ralph Friedländer, President of the SIG

Overview of the activities throughout Switzerland

Monday, 27.01.2025

Canton of Aargau

Aarau, City Hall

Yellow illumination of Aarau City Hall.

Media contact: City of Aarau, Dr. Hanspeter Hilfiker, Mayor
hanspeter.hilfiker@aarau.ch, +41 62 836 05 13

Canton of Basel-Stadt

Basel, City Hall

Illumination of the City Hall with white light and the inscription #WeRemember.

Media contact: Canton of Basel-Stadt, Marco Greiner, Government Spokesperson
marco.greiner@bs.ch

Canton of Bern

Bern, Federal Palace | from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Changing multicolored illumination of the façade and projection of the inscription #WeRemember.

Photos will be available late in the evening on January 27, 2025, in the SIG media corner.

Media contact: Parliamentary Services, Karin Burkhalter, Head of Information & Editorial Section, Media Spokeswoman
karin.burkhalter@parl.admin.ch, +41 58 322 92 57 or +41 79 757 97 66

Bern, City Hall | from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Illumination of Bern City Hall with the inscription #WeRemember by the Canton of Bern.

Photos will be available late in the evening on January 27, 2025, in the SIG media corner.

Media contact: Bern Canton State Chancellery, Communication Office, Reto Wüthrich, Head of Communication / Government Council Communication Officer
reto.wuethrich1@be.ch, +41 31 633 46 47

Biel/Bienne, City Hall garden | 6.00 PM

Candle lighting in the City Hall garden (Bloeschaus) with a speech by Mayor Glenda Gonzalez Bassi at 6pm.

Media contact: City of Biel/Bienne, Gérard Wettstein, General Secretary City Hall
gerard.wettstein@biel-bienne.ch, +41 32 326 11 13

Burgdorf, Parliament Building

Illumination of the Parliament Building (Verwaltungsgebäude Kirchbühl 23).

Media contact: City of Burgdorf, Stefan Ghioldi, City Clerk
stefan.ghioldi@burgdorf.ch, +41 34 429 93 24

Moutier, City Hall

Illumination of the City Hall.

Media contact: Municipality of Moutier, Marcel Winistoerfer, Maire
marcel.winistoerfer@moutier.ch, +41 76 490 04 69

Köniz, Municipal Building

Colorful illumination of the Bläuacker Municipal Building.

Media contact: Municipality of Köniz, Susanne Bandi, Head of Communication
susanne.bandi@koeniz.ch, +41 79 344 11 75

Canton of Fribourg

Fribourg, Maison de Ville

Hoisting of the peace flag at the Maison de Ville on January 27, 2025.

Media contact: City of Fribourg, Alexandre Brodard, Communication Officer
alexandre.brodard@ville-fr.ch, +41 26 351 70 82

Canton of Geneva

Geneva, Palais Eynard | from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Projection of the inscription #WeRemember on the façade of the Palais Eynard.

Media contact: External Relations and Communication Service SREC, Yannick Richter, Information Officer for the Administrative Council
yannick.richter@geneve.ch, +41 22 418 29 11

Vernier, City Hall

Illumination of the Vernier City Hall.

Media contact: City of Vernier, Laetitia Mahrer, Head of the Culture and Communications Department
l.mahrer@vernier.ch, +41 22 306 07 80

Canton of St. Gallen

Altstätten, City Hall

Illumination of the City Hall with the inscription #WeRemember.

Media contact: City of Altstätten, Beatrice Grimm, City Clerk
beatrice.grimm@altstaetten.ch, +41 71 757 77 02

Gossau, City Hall

Internal illumination of the City Hall in Gossau (Westside towards Bahnhofstrasse).

Media contact: City of Gossau, Urs Salzmann, Communication Officer
urs.salzmann@stadtgossau.ch, +41 71 388 42 70

St. Gallen, Waaghaus

Illumination of the Waaghaus, seat of the St. Gallen city parliament.

Media contact: Markus Buschor, City Councillor, Planning and Building Directorate
markus.buschor@stadt.sg.ch, +41 71 224 53 10

Wil, City Hall

Illumination of the Wil City Hall.

Media contact: City of Wil, Michel Burtscher, Head of the Communication Office
michel.burtscher@stadtwil.ch or kommunikation@stadtwil.ch, +41 71 913 52 96

Canton of Ticino

Chiasso, Palazzo comunale

Illumination of the Palazzo comunale.

Media contact: Communication Office Municipality of Chiasso, Laila Meroni Petrantoni
laila.petrantoni@chiasso.ch, +41 76 563 34 77

Canton of Vaud

Lausanne, City Hall

Illumination of the City Hall.

Media contact: City of Lausanne, Communication Office, Amélie Nappey-Barrail
amelie.nappey@lausanne.ch​​​​​​​, +41 21 315 25 60, +41 79 695 39 64

Yverdon-les-Bains, Place Pestalozzi

Illumination of Place Pestalozzi in yellow and white.

Media contact: Communication of the City of Yverdon-les-Bains
communication@yverdon-les-bains.ch, +41 24 423 62 11

Canton of Zurich

Uster, City Hall

Interior illumination of the Uster City Hall.

Media contact: City of Uster, Jörg Schweiter, Deputy City Chancellor
joerg.schweiter@uster.ch, +41 44 944 72 03

Winterthur, City Hall

Illumination of the City Hall.

Media contact: Communications City of Winterthur
kommunikation@win.ch, +41 52 267 66 60

Zurich, City Hall

Illumination of the Zurich City Hall.

Media contact: Presidential Department of the City of Zurich, Nadine Markwalder, Deputy Head of Communication
nadine.markwalder@zuerich.ch, +41 44 412 34 15