REPORTER Tomos Povey spoke to his grandfather, a survivor of Nazi-occupied Poland, and Auschwitz survivor Ron Jones who are urging people to remember genocide victims.

This week saw millions of people across the country united in remembering all those who fell victim to genocides throughout history.

Holocaust Memorial Day encourages remembrance of the six million Jews and other groups of people who were murdered during Nazi-driven genocides, as well as other genocide victims in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

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And two men, who live in Gwent, witnessed unimaginable horrors in German-occupied Poland and are urging people to remember genocide victims.

Soldier Ron Jones became a prisoner of war in 1942, after being caught in North Africa.

South Wales Argus:

He was held at Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp from October 1943 to January 1945.

“When we arrived there we could see all these people in pyjamas behind barbed wire,” said the 101-year-old, who lives in Bassaleg.

“We asked who they were and the German officer said ‘Jews’, as though it should be obvious. I became friendly with Jozef, a Jewish man, who ended up getting gassed.

“I saw Roma people, Jews, Poles and others who were arrested.”

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Mr Jones is encouraging people throughout Gwent to take time this week to remember all those who were killed and persecuted.

He said: “I do not think the Nazi crimes should ever be forgotten. The victims needs remembering.

“I still remember it like yesterday. I can never forget what I saw. All genocides must be remembered so they never happen again.”

And Zdzislaw Szymanski, who survived German-occupied Poland and now lives in Cwmbran, echoed similar sentiments.

South Wales Argus:

“I was born in Dabrowa, Poland in 1929,” he said.

“I remember seeing villages being emptied and those who were fit being used for slave labour. My teacher and priest were both deported to Dachau extermination camp. They lasted two months.

South Wales Argus:

Zdzislaw pictured top row and third from left, with some pupils wearing the yellow star of David and a male teacher who was later killed.

“My family and I were soon sent to a concentration camp by train in 1941 and we ended up covered in lice. My dad thought it was the end of us. We were ‘processed’ and fortunately told to turn left. We were then used for slave labour.

"I hope everyone will remember those who were killed and persecuted. There is a good saying at Auschwitz: 'Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'"

Nazi Germany systematically murdered an estimated 17 million people who were deemed "racially inferior". Those who fell victim were primarily Jews, ethnic Poles and other Slavs.