This year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day, celebrated annually on Jan. 27, marks the passage of three-quarters of a century since the liberation of Auschwitz, the largest German Nazi death camp. Underscoring the importance of this anniversary is the global rise of the same anti-Jewish hate that spawned the genocide of 6 million Jews under the Nazi regime.
One of multiple factors fueling this rise in anti-Semitism is a decline in Holocaust learning. In 2018, the Claims Conference found that 22% of U.S. millennials claimed they had never heard of the Holocaust, compared with 11% of all adults. Such lack of knowledge is easily exploited by traditional Holocaust deniers, who are spurred on in their efforts by anti-Semitic hate. It also benefits a host of governments and institutions that have either benefited from paltry understanding of Hitler’s genocide or participated in revising the past for motives, which, though not anti-Semitic, harm Jews.
Real journalism.Trusted by millions.
Unlimited access to in-depth reporting, expert analysis, and the stories that shape our country.
Already a member? Log in