Fragility of Freedom

Many events and activities are taking place across the UK and the world to mark the date, including here at Leicester Museum and Gallery. This year we are joining the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust in raising awareness about the ‘Fragility of Freedom’.

Freedom means different things to different people. Freedom can be about freedom of religion and freedom to self-identify. It can be the freedom to have children and a family life and about freedom of movement. Freedom means freedom of expression.

The erosion of freedom is often a slow, subtle process. The Nazi genocide was preceded by growing restrictions on freedom for Jewish people, disabled people and others – similar patterns took place in Rwanda 30 years ago this year, and in Cambodia before that. Freedom is fragile in many places around the world in 2024.

Leicester Museum & Galleries' German Expressionist collection contains many artworks that reflect the fragility of freedom - many of the artists featured in the collection were forced to flee Nazi persecution or had their work banned or labelled ‘degenerate’.

As part of our programme of events and activities to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, we are featuring some new digital labels in the gallery, telling artists’ stories.

The labels will be on display between 22nd January and 18th February 2024. To find out more about our Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 events and activities, visit our What's On page.