Fairfield to Mark 40 Years of Holocaust Remembrance In April

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Town of Fairfield will commemorate its 40-year commitment to interfaith unity with its annual Yom Hashoah observance on Wednesday, April 23, at First Church Congregational. Holocaust survivor Eugene Ginter will deliver the keynote address, sharing his personal story of survival.

"The members of First Church of Fairfield are honored to host this important event," said Rev. Vanessa Rose, senior pastor, in a statement. "Our church has a long-standing commitment to supporting our Jewish friends and neighbors, combating antisemitism, and fostering an inclusive community. It is vital that Christians participate in bearing witness to the atrocities of the Holocaust and stand united in saying, 'Never Again.'"

Ginter, born in Krakow, Poland, in early 1939, was forced into a ghetto with his family at the onset of World War II. His mother worked in Oskar Schindler’s factory, while his father, who spoke fluent German, worked under Amon Göth, the Nazi commandant of the Krakow-Plaszow concentration camp.

"My job was to try to stay alive," Ginter recalled.

When the ghetto was liquidated, Ginter’s father, Roman, defied orders and requested to die alongside his son. Both were sent to Birkenau, where they faced selection by Dr. Josef Mengele. As they were being led toward the gas chamber, orders arrived to halt further executions due to the advancing Russian forces. Ginter and his father survived, though they were later separated. At just five years old, Ginter was sent on a death march to Auschwitz before being liberated shortly before his sixth birthday.

The Fairfield Holocaust Commemoration Committee, chaired by Adele Jacobs, organizes the annual event. Jacobs, the daughter of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen survivors, emphasized the importance of remembrance amid rising antisemitism.

"At a time when antisemitic incidents have increased by 400 percent, it has never been more crucial to gather and show that Fairfield stands against hate," Jacobs said. "This milestone of 40 years of interfaith solidarity demonstrates our unwavering commitment to standing together in love and remembrance. We encourage families to join us in this important act of unity."

The commemoration will begin at 7:30 p.m. with a candlelight procession, during which volunteers will read the names of Nazi concentration camps. The Fairfield First Selectman’s Office, the Town of Fairfield Police Department, Fairfield County Children’s Choir, and Fairfield Ludlowe High School Chamber Orchestra will participate in the ceremony.

The event will take place at First Church Congregational, 148 Beach Road, Fairfield. For more information, contact Adele Jacobs, chair of the Fairfield Holocaust Commemoration Committee, at ajacobs@ajqlaw.com.