74 years ago today, the government of the first Slovak state declared regulations on the legal status of Jews, stripping them of civil rights, in an act known as the Jewish Code. "This day is at the same time a reminder of the gradual process of degradation of the Jewish population and harsh anti-Jewish measures, which culminated in the deportation of Jewish citizens to death camps", wrote the Office of the Plenipotentiary for National Minorities in a statement.
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs announced, "Remembering this tragic chapter in the history of humanity is essential as a warning against prejudice, intolerance and racism which degrade the principles of humanity and respect for human rights at home and abroad".
A commemoration for the victims of the holocaust took place in the Slovak town of Sereď on Tuesday, where a transit camp was established for Slovak Jews en route to concentration camps during WWII. More than 10,000 Jews were deported from this transit camp in 1942-44. The last transport left Sereď to Theresienstadt concentration camp on March 31, 1945.
A memorial event took place today at 3:30 PM in Rybné square, central Bratislava, involving Speaker of the National Council Peter Pellegrini and the laying of wreathes.
