Walsall tree planting ceremony marks Holocaust Memorial Day

Walsall's deputy mayor, Councillor Rose Martin, attended the ceremony on Thursday, at Barr Beacon, a local nature reserve which also houses an iconic World War l memorial.

The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) is commemorating its 80th year with a special project called '80 Trees for 80 Years'.

It offered its members the opportunity to sponsor the planting of a native oak tree in memory of a loved one in a location that is meaningful to Jewish refugees and survivors.

Walsall was chosen due to its history of helping and housing Jewish refugee children from Nazi-occupied Europe during World War ll.

Councillor Martin said: "That long tradition of open hearts and minds is what makes the borough of Walsall a place I’m so proud to represent as Deputy Mayor of Walsall.

"The sponsor of this special tree is Gary Zucker, who travelled to Walsall with his wife to plant the oak tree commemorating his mother Lilly Scherer Zucker and father Joseph Zucker who were young refugees from Austria and Germany in 1938.

"I was both humbled and privileged to speak with Gary about his parents’ early experiences in this country.

"What struck me most was imagining my own young grand-daughter going through the fear of being separated from her family and taken to a strange land where she had to learn a new language, customs and cultures and face an uncertain future. It’s unimaginable really."

The theme of Holocaust Memorial Day this year was One Day. Survivors of the Holocaust and of genocide often talk about the 'one day' when everything changed, sometimes for the worse and sometimes for better.

Marilyn Thomas from the Association of Jewish Refugees also attended the ceremony.

She said: "It’s wonderful that Walsall is being recognised for having housed Jewish refugees and helping them escape the horrors of the Holocaust on this significant day through AJR’s wonderful project."