On January 24, Gillingham FC’s Under-18s had the privilege of welcoming Bernice Graham from the Holocaust Educational Trust for a special workshop in recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed annually on January 27.
During the session, Bernice shared the powerful story of her father, Martin Bennett, a Holocaust survivor who endured the horrors of multiple concentration camps, including Poznań and Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Martin was one of nine siblings—seven boys and two girls—and was reunited with one of his brothers in Auschwitz. He credited his survival to his brother’s presence and support, managing to avoid selection by claiming he was older than his actual age.
Martin Bennett’s story is a testament to the resilience and courage of those who lived through one of history’s darkest chapters. To learn more about his journey, you can visit the Holocaust Educational Trust’s website here: Holocaust Educational Trust - Martin Bennett, 1925-2016
The Holocaust saw the systematic murder of approximately six million Jewish men, women, and children by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Second World War. Referred to in Hebrew as the Shoah—meaning catastrophe—it was not only a loss of human life but also the destruction of entire cultures, communities, languages, and traditions. It stands as the most extreme manifestation of antisemitism, a deep-seated prejudice against Jewish people.
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) was established in 2000 and is observed each year on January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Soviet Red Army. Across the UK, schools, community groups, and faith organizations come together to remember the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, as well as those who suffered from other Nazi persecutions and subsequent genocides.
At Gillingham FC, we believe in the importance of education and remembrance, ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to be shared with future generations.
To find out more about the vital work carried out by the Holocaust Educational Trust, visit their website here: Holocaust Educational Trust - Holocaust Memorial Day 2025
The club's Sky Bet League Two home fixture against Notts County is our dedicated International Holocaust Memorial Day.
