Lewes Holocaust Memorial Day Group – Talk – HMD 2026
Activity information
Activity type: Public activity
Organisation name: Lewes Holocaust Memorial Day Group
Website: https://hmd-lewes.org/CMS_Calendar.html
Address:
Trinity St John Sub Castro Church
Abinger Place
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 2QA
United Kingdom
Free event open to all (retiring collection).
Bridging Generations: HMD in Lewes
John Wood will present a 40-minute talk with archival photos and testimony about his father Leonard Berney, who was one of the first of the Allied troops through the gates of the disease-ridden, overcrowded Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp where he came face-to-face with its many horrors. He remained there for 14 weeks, helping save as many lives as possible, and becoming the Commander of the Belsen Displaced Persons Camp. Initially, Leonard never spoke about Belsen but on the 30th anniversary of the liberation he told John the whole story. On discovering, some years later, the existence of Holocaust denial he was outraged and started to speak publicly about his Belsen experience.
There will be opportunity for Q&A with John and with members of the Lewes HMD Group who will also share some of their personal thoughts on the theme.
Plus live music, with Siriol Hugh-Jones (cello solo) playing the music that Anita Lasker-Wallfisch was forced to play for Dr Mengele in Auschwtiz; and Weiping Hao (soprano) singing Ilse Weber's lullaby (sung to children in Theresienstadt and Auschwitz) for our candle-lighting ceremony.
Organiser Name