On 28 and 29 October, Auschwitz survivors and representatives of Auschwitz foundations from 8 countries took part in a meeting of the Presidium of the International Auschwitz Committee in Brussels. During the meeting the survivors of the German concentration and extermination camps expressed their deep concern at the constant increase in anti-Semitic attitudes and prejudices in European countries.

“The existing situation is causing us sudden and profound concern,” stressed Auschwitz survivor Marian Turski from Warsaw. He said: "Anti-Semitic attitudes are creeping into the centre of European society, and they are turning into open hatred and murderous aggression at the same time. Europe evolved from the ashes of Auschwitz. The fact that today people in many European societies are able to loudly voice anti-Semitic remarks is an absolute disgrace, and unbearable for us who remember our murdered family members.”

Christoph Heubner, Executive Vice President of the IAC, stressed in Brussels:

“It is in precisely this situation that the survivors of the concentration camps are calling to account the European governments and the new European Commission. They should make significantly increased political efforts to combat anti-Semitism as a central problem in Europe and to place corresponding educational information and awareness on a broader basis. Anti-Semitism affects not only Jewish people in Europe. It poisons and destroys the democratic everyday life of all citizens in Europe.”

At the end of the meeting the Auschwitz survivors Raphael Esrail from Paris and Marian Turski from Warsaw emphasized the importance of the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz on 27 January 2020:

“This day has a signal character for us. We were liberated, but Europe is not freed from anti-Semitism and right-wing hatred. We hope and expect that on this day the heads of state of the European countries and the newly elected President of the European Commission will be present in Auschwitz, to join with us in remembrance, and to cast their gaze into the past and the present.”