The horrors witnessed by British troops at Bergen-Belsen – and how they gave survivors their dignity back

Eighty years ago, the British army liberated the infamous Nazi concentration camp and witnessed scenes that changed them forever, writes Karen Pollock OBE of the Holocaust Educational Trust

Some argue that the Holocaust happened elsewhere, far from our shores. But Britain’s connection to the Holocaust – and the role the country played in bringing it to an end – must never be forgotten.

Eighty years ago this week, on 15 April 1945, the British Army’s 11th Armoured Division liberated Bergen-Belsen. They found unimaginable horrors – thousands of unburied bodies and tens of thousands of emaciated, gravely ill prisoners. Faced with hell on earth, these brave British soldiers did more than just rescue those who had survived – they restored dignity.

The conditions in the camp were so horrific that even battle-hardened soldiers struggled to comprehend what they had witnessed. Yet they acted with extraordinary compassion: tending to the sick, burying the dead with respect, providing food and medicine, and installing water pipes for showers.

The Nazis sought to strip Jewish people of their humanity. They shaved their heads, replaced their names with numbers, starved them, forced them into slave labour, and dressed them in the same thin, flimsy striped uniforms.

Reclaiming humanity came in many forms. As survivors’ health began to improve, they were sent to pick out new clothes from a supply store inside the camp, nicknamed “Harrods”. This “shop” was stocked with clothing provided by relief organisations or taken from nearby German towns.

Norna Alexander, a nurse with the 29th British General Hospital, which arrived at Bergen-Belsen just over a month after liberation, recalled the joy this brought: “When they were strong enough to walk, they would be sent to ‘Harrods’ and come back – and the joy on their faces – the men would have nice smart suits and the ladies dresses, and shoes. It really boosted their spirits.”

A simple act – a change of clothes – helped survivors begin to reclaim their identity and their dignity. Survival was not just about food and shelter but about rediscovering a sense of self.

The young soldiers who provided this relief were the same soldiers who fought their way onto the beaches of Normandy and battled until the evils of Nazism were defeated. The same people who liberated the camps, cared for survivors, and helped them reclaim their names, their lives, and their futures. They were – and remain – heroes.

However, Britain’s connection to the Holocaust did not end with liberation. It continued with the survivors who were brought here to rebuild their lives. Today, many of these survivors still travel across the country while they still can, supported by the Holocaust Educational Trust, sharing their testimonies with schoolchildren – so that the next generation understands what happened and why it must never be repeated.

Some may still argue that the Holocaust happened elsewhere. But the British soldiers who stood at the gates of Bergen-Belsen knew the depravity they witnessed must be seen by the world and never forgotten.

They bore witness to the atrocities. They restored dignity to the survivors. And they carried the weight of that history home with them.

Eighty years on from the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, the Holocaust is not a distant tragedy – it is woven into Britain’s story.

Alongside the Allies, Britain defeated the Nazis and the hateful ideology that fuelled their crimes. The soldiers who bore witness to the camps and the survivors who rebuilt their lives here are part of our shared history.

At the Holocaust Educational Trust, we work every day to ensure that this history – and Britain’s connection to it – is never forgotten.

Karen Pollock OBE is the chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust