Holocaust Remembrance Exhibition Opens at the Museum of Mountain Jews

Red Settlement (Qırmızı Qəsəbə), Azerbaijan

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Museum of Mountain Jews opened a special exhibition dedicated to the Holocaust, marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. The exhibition reflects on one of the gravest tragedies of modern history and affirms the enduring duty to remember, to teach, and to bear moral witness.

The exhibition presents a focused historical narrative honoring the millions of lives destroyed and the communities erased, including Mountain Jewish communities in Crimea, Bogdanovka near Mozdok, and Menzhinsk—stories often left at the margins of Holocaust memory.

The commemorative events at the Museum were led by a prominent Azerbaijani-Jewish businessman Vladislav Yusupov. 

Speaking to guests, Yusupov emphasized on responsibility—describing the Museum as a place where memory is carefully safeguarded and passed from generation to generation. 

The Museum welcomed Amy Carlon, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Azerbaijan, accompanied by members of the U.S. Embassy. The delegation was received alongside by German Rashbilovich Zakharyayev, President of the International STMEGI Foundation, and Igor Alexandrovich Shaulov, Director of the Museum of Mountain Jews.

A memorial prayer was recited for the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, followed by the lighting of candles of remembrance. Ms. Carlon underscored the necessity of preserving historical truth and confronting antisemitism wherever it persists.

The visit concluded with a walk through Red Settlement, including its historic synagogues and the iconic arched bridge—symbols of a living community shaped by memory rather than silence.

The day served as a reminder that remembrance is not an act of the past, but a responsibility carried forward—quietly, faithfully, and together.