Holocaust Remembrance Day Published April 24, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Cliffton Dolezal LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Sunday April 27th, marks the beginning of the Holocaust Day of Remembrance. The day, which ends the next evening, is a day to remember the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the events that took place during this time during World War II. The event is also known by its Hebrew name as Yom HaShoah. We've been educated that it is important to be familiar with history so we can understand and learn from past mistakes and avoid repeating them in the future. During these days of remembrance, millions of people across the world will remember the victims of the Holocaust as we observe the Holocaust Day of Remembrance. The Holocaust was the systematic extermination of millions of European Jews, as well as Romanians, Slovakians, intellectuals, homosexuals, disabled, gypsies and political nonconformists by the Nazi party during World War II. Approximately 11 million lives were lost between 1938 and 1945 making it undoubtedly one of the most horrific crimes ever committed against humanity. No longer can we remain in the shadows, hiding from the tragic events that took place in the 30's and 40's. It is up to every individual to grab hold of the stories of survivors and victims, and use these stories as tools to learn and to lead others, for that is the key to ensure tragic events such as the Holocaust never happen again. While almost every survivor of the Holocaust has passed on, their words, stories, articles and diaries have lived on, providing a constant reminder of the bravery, passion and persistency that every individual needed in order to overcome the Nazi terror. If we allow their testimonies of tyranny and oppression to become lost along the way, then we allow the victims of the Holocaust to be forgotten. The stories from the Holocaust encourage reflection and compassion on the victims of genocide. Never forget, remember the Holocaust and the millions of lives that were lost.