Cable Forum - Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

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Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

From OP's article.

Quote:

Five per cent of UK adults do not believe the Holocaust took place and one in 12 believes its scale has been exaggerated, a survey has found.

...
At the ceremony, survivors lit six candles to represent the six million Jewish victims.

"the Holocaust" implies there is one and only.

Theresa May

Quote:

No words can ever do justice to the six million souls who were so cruelly murdered in the Holocaust – but we can pay a fitting tribute through our deeds today

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

In 1993 I was working in Poland and went to see Schindler's List at the cinema. You actually had to book seats at all of the multiple cinemas showing it - that was the level of interest.

Anyway, coming out of the cinema, people were muttering about something; my colleague interpreted to me and said that they were complaining about why did the film only focus on Jews and not on the millions of Poles who also suffered.

What were the Jews depicted in the film if not Poles? Anti-Semitism hadn't ended then and I doubt now.

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sephiroth (Post 35981015)

I was about to say before I read the last paragraph that the many of the Jewish people Schindler saved were Polish. I believe the vast majority in fact because his factories were in Poland (i think).

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

Yes - his factories were in the Krakow region, as is Auschwitz.

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sephiroth (Post 35981015)

Why were the comments anti-Semitic? The film only mention the 6m Jews in the end credits. So the emphasis was on all European Jews, not just Polish Jews or Polish non-Jews.

Quote:

The Germans shot thousands of teachers, priests, and other intellectuals in mass killings in and around Warsaw, especially in the city's Pawiak prison. The Nazis sent thousands more to the newly built Auschwitz concentration camp, to Stutthof, and to other concentration camps in Germany where non-Jewish Poles constituted the majority of inmates until March 1942.
...
Between 1939 and 1945, at least 1.5 million Polish citizens were deported to German territory for forced labor. Hundreds of thousands were also imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps.
Calculating the numbers of individuals who were killed as the result of Nazi policies is a difficult task. It is estimated that the Germans killed between 1.8 and 1.9 million non-Jewish Polish civilians during World War II. In addition, the Germans murdered at least 3 million Jewish citizens of Poland.

Quote:

Between 1939 and 1945, nearly 2.8 million gentile Poles died at the hands of the Nazis, and 150,000 due to Soviet repressions

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomadking (Post 35981034)

Why were the comments anti-Semitic? The film only mention the 6m Jews in the end credits. So the emphasis was on all European Jews, not just Polish Jews or Polish non-Jews.

An astonishing response. Just to be contrary?

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

Do not forget also that 20 million Russians also perished.

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

It's an absolutely shocking state of affairs.

Perhaps It's because the holocaust happened before younger people were born and (unlike older people) their parents & grandparents weren't involved and didn't discuss family history hardships and tragedies with regards to WWII??

This is why it's so important to maintain the teaching of the holocaust as, hopefully, this will prevent it ever happening again.

I also think that the term 'Nazi' to describe someone who doesn't share ones point of view (both on & offline) is a deliberate emotionally charged comment and an insult to all those who suffered and lost their lives.

It's also worth noting that (with regards to the Jewish community) that this was done by stealth. It didn't start with gassing people, it started with insults in the street towards Jews and other various groups e.g. gay people, trade unionists, the disabled etc that were singled out- this is why it's so important to nip this sort of behaviour in the bud.

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

The term "final solution" specifically applied to Jews. As does the term "Holocaust".

That the Nazis similarly murdered others is also not in doubt.

Re: Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Shocking' levels of denial remain

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter (Post 35981068)

I agree absolutely. I think it's great that the holocaust has to be taught in schools in England (but not Wales and Scotland strangely) What is heartening is that the main aim of teaching about the holocaust by teachers is to explore the roots and ramifications of prejudice. Ineresting recent study on this here - https://www.holocausteducation.org.u...Holocaust2.pdf

As you say, the holocaust 'crept up' on the population of Germany and the wider occupied states and vigilance is required to stop this kind of bahaviour early. In Berlin, there 's a exhibition called 'The Topology of Terror' based at the former Gestapo headquarters which shows how many very small incremental steps lead to the holocaust.