Klaus Iohannis: „My visit to „Yad Vashem” Holocaust Museum and Memorial, to the Children’s Memorial, which is particularly unique, represented an extremely emotional and overwhelming experience for me. I have paid my respects to all victims of this terrible tragedy of the 20th century. No person entering here can possibly fail to take in the significance of the Jewish genocide. The Holocaust is unique and cannot be forgotten and this visit here today enhanced my assurance that education is key in avoiding such horrifying crimes in the future.
I saw many objects donated by Jewish communities and organizations in Romania and I felt grateful that we could thus contribute to this surprising museum and did our best to safeguard the memory of the victims. Ever since my mandate started, one of my stated goals regarding collective memory was to defend the memory of the Holocaust victims and I do so by the events today.
My visit to this great memorial of Jewish martyrs coincides with a ceremony in Berlin where Romania will officially take over tonight the Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. These two events have an additional significance to them. They are about our determination as a nation to fight deliberate ignorance of the past. They are also about discussing guilt and responsabilty openly. But this is not a mere coincidence. It actually proves Romania’s level of commitment to undertake responsibility for the past, to commemorate the Holocaust victims, to fight against anti-Semitism and xenophobia, to protect Jewish cultural legacy; the steps taken by Romanian authorities in this direction over the last decade are internationally acknowledged. Not many states have accomplished what we have in such a short time. The Romanian state has fully proven to have learned the lesson of the past through all these actions taken over the last ten years in terms of commemorating and acknowledging the Holocaust. Romania has become a model and an example for best practices at the European level in this domain.
„Educated Romania”, my national project, has implications on the Holocaust subject. Education is the first step towards better understanding the Holocaust and coming to terms with the past. And I am talking mainly about education’s purpose in this case, an education for democracy so that citizens be able to learn in school the democratic principles and values. Rejecting anti-Semitism, xenophobia, racial hatred, discrimination and intolerance begins with a sound knowledge of historical circumstances that led to such abominations. Tolerance and respect for others is instilled in tender years and school is fundamental to this purpose.
Considering all of this, as President of Romania I am going to plead for the set up of such a museum in Bucharest. I am fully committed to support the establishment of a Jewish and Holocaust Museum in Romania. I will discuss this matter with the Cabinet so that we come up with a plan real soon. Life and experience represent the best form of education. Such a museum would be an unexpected source of education for democracy. Yad Vashem’s importance and utility is that of automatically generating questions about circumstances that made such abominations possible, about people who made them possible and most of all the reasons that made them possible. Therefore, Romanian teachers and students could benefit from such a museum, where they would be able to come and learn about the Holocaust. As I said before, Romania has gone a long way at the institutional level, in what legislation is concerned, but such a museum would be able to produce transformations at that level where other instruments fail to reach, which is social mentalities. This museum would have a very keen social mission: to speak about freedom, human rights and European values. This museum would not be an institution of the past, but for the future, as it can educate and show what diversity means, what civic responsibility and need for tolerance mean. Any form of intolerance, racism, hatred and discrimination represent threats to democracy.
I have inquired here about the number of Romanian rescuers during the Holocaust, officially acknowledged for their brave actions. I found out that Romania, compared to other states in the region, has a very small number of „Righteous Among the Nations”, only 60 persons or so. The explanation is a historical one: during Communism, Romanians have been denied this part of recent history. Blame of the horrors was almost all the time thrown on the enemies, so Romanian rescuers were kept secret as Communist authorities denied local responsibility for the Holocaust. It would be now an act of responsibility and gratitude to show not only the murderers, but also the rescuers. There have been Romanians, whom we do not yet know, that showed human solidarity, that risked their freedom and their lives to save fellow citizens, be them Jewish or Roma. Their bravery is an example for us today. Alongside commemorations of the victims, I would like us to try in the coming years to identify as many brave Romanian citizens who made this kind of gestures during the war. Hence, I will encourage Romanian authorities, especially „Elie Wiesel” Institute, to make common efforts in discovering as many Romanian rescuers. Romania would be able to show another face of its history by this minimal moral reparation.
Thank you very much for your hospitality, I will always return with much respect and gratitude to Yad Vashem Memorial in Jerusalem, this unique and valuable part of humanity. Thank you!”
