Irish Priest Reflects on Bergen-Belsen Liberation 78 Years Later

UPDATE: Today marks the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, a pivotal moment in World War II that exposed the horrific realities of the Holocaust. Father Michael Morrison, an Irish Jesuit priest serving as a chaplain with the British Army, was among the brave liberators who entered the camp on April 15, 1945, alongside British and Canadian troops.

The conditions inside Bergen-Belsen were unimaginable. The camp, designed for 10,000 people, held approximately 60,000 prisoners at the time of liberation. Troops discovered mass graves and survivors suffering from severe malnutrition, with the death toll at the camp reaching a staggering 50,000 between 1941 and 1945, including the renowned diarist Anne Frank, who perished just weeks before liberation.

Father Morrison, originally from Listowel, County Kerry, documented his harrowing experiences in diary entries that detail the devastation he witnessed. “What we saw within the first few days is utterly beyond description,” he recounted. He described people crawling on their hands and knees, too weak to walk, and the appalling conditions that led to deaths from enteritis and malnutrition.

In his first week, Morrison anointed nearly 300 dying people daily. The British Army was so overwhelmed by the number of deceased that they had to use a bulldozer to move bodies into mass graves. “The work has been physically the most revolting that I have been called on to do, but it has also been the most consoling,” Morrison reflected on the brutal reality of caring for the living and the dead.

As the camp’s conditions became known, Morrison decided to hold a Mass for the survivors. Despite heavy rain threatening to cancel the event, he was taken aback to find hundreds of people of various nationalities and religions waiting for the service. This Mass became a symbol of hope amid horror, showcasing the resilience of the human spirit.

The images and stories from Bergen-Belsen soon reached the world, revealing the atrocities committed by the Nazis and forever changing public perception of the Holocaust. In the months following liberation, the British torched the camp to prevent it from becoming a memorial site for the horrors witnessed there.

Historian Conor Dodd noted that the experiences at Bergen-Belsen profoundly affected Father Morrison for the rest of his life. After the war, he briefly served as a parish priest in Australia before returning to Ireland, where he passed away in 1973.

As the world reflects on this critical moment in history, it is a stark reminder of the importance of remembrance and education about the Holocaust. The legacy of Bergen-Belsen and the sacrifices of individuals like Father Michael Morrison continue to resonate today, urging us to confront the past and honor those who suffered.

For those interested in Irish history and the enduring impact of these events, discussions and shared stories can be found in dedicated groups on social media platforms.