Event Date: Sat - 24 Jan 2026

Event Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Location: Trinity St John Sub Castro Church, Abinger Place, Lewes BN7 2QA

John Wood from the charity Generation2Generation will present a 40-minute talk with archival photos and testimony about his father Leonard Berney, who was one of the first of the Allied troops through the gates of the disease-ridden, overcrowded Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp where he came face-to-face with its many horrors.

He remained there for 14 weeks, helping save as many lives as possible, and becoming the Commander of the Belsen Displaced Persons Camp. Initially, Leonard never spoke about Belsen, but on the 30th anniversary of the liberation he told John the whole story.
Siriol Hugh-Jones will perform a cello solo, the very piece performed by Auschwitz prisoner Anita Lasker-Wallfisch at the command of the notorious Dr Mengele before she was transferred to Bergen Belsen.

During the candle lighting there will be a minute’s silence and Waiping Hao will sing Wiegele, the song composed by Ilse Weber in Theresienstadt, which she sang to children there.

The Deputy Mayor of Lewes and the Chair of Lewes District Council will be in attendance, along with two members of the Sussex Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Plus Q&A, and a chance to chat over tea and coffee at the end.

Information about this and two film events: https://hmd-lewes.org/CMS_Calendar.html