Seventy-three years ago, on February 24th, 1942, the Struma, a vessel originating from the port of Constanza with Jewish refugees on board sank after it was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine off the coast of Şile, in international waters in the Black Sea. Seven hundred sixty-eight people perished, including 103 children and the entire crew. Only one refugee survived.

Seven hundred sixty-eight people who were enforced to leave their villages, cities and countries as a result of the rise of Nazism and anti-Semitism, by which almost the entire Europe was engulfed during the World War II, died tragically 73 years ago, today. Amongst the victims were women, children, babies, the sick and the elderly.

This incident, regardless of the religion or ethnicity of the victims, was a tragedy in the history of humanity and must be commemorated as such.

With this understanding, on this 70th anniversary of the Holocoust, we respectfully commemorate all those who lost their lives on Struma. We also extend our condolences to their relatives and to our Turkish-Jewish citizens, who remain sensitive and saddened by this tragedy that occured right before their eyes. We share their deep sense of loss as we made efforts for them to survive.

Turkey always, adopting a humane approach with respect to humanitarian tragedies that occur in its vicinity, feels the responsibility of passing along the memory of this tragedy to next generations.