to be horrified that people are forgetting the Holocaust?

[FleurDelacoeur]

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/study-shows-americans-are-forgetting-about-holocaust-n865396

OK, so it's an American study but 11% of all adults and 20% of millenials in the US haven't heard of the holocaust, or aren't sure whether they've heard of it or not.

Given that this is one of the most important events of the 20th century isn't this simply appalling? How can people NOT know??

I'm not aware of the curriculum in the rest of the UK but I know my secondary age kids in Scotland have learned about the Holocaust as part of a WW2 topic, and it was touched on in RE too when they learned about Judaism.

And quite frankly if it wasn't in the curriculum I'd be making sure they knew about it as it's such an important event which should never be forgotten.

@strongmummy the definition of genocide is the systematic killing of members of a certain race with the intention of exterminatinf the race. Slavery doesn't fit the bill. A good way of remembering it is the Khmer Rouge. Of the two thirds of the philistines of Cambodia who died the majority were victims of communism not genocide. They died because their government did value them not because their government wanted then dead. But some who belonged to ethnic minorities targeted for extermination were victims of genocide because the Khmer Rouge killed them because they wanted to eradicate all members of their race.

Threads like this make me realise I just don't know enough stuff.

But where do you start?

Been googling bits and bobs as I've gone through the thread.

*population

I agree with that illustriousiy i remember the horror of hearing of the horrors of Bosnia.

Why does it seem to have been forgotten you think?

The point about genocides that have been prevented is that they didn't happen jasjas. Which is probably why you don't know about them.

I didn't learn any of these things at school but I had parents who were interested in history, current affairs and politics. I saw the film Exodus when I was about 8 and I can't really remember when I didn't know about the Holocaust (I'm not Jewish btw). I learned about many of the other events mentioned here through watching tv documentaries, films and reading.

Don't people read or watch tv? I am often gobsmacked by the ignorance - and total lack of curiosity - of some people. By some of the comments here too.

Or take Stalins famines vs Stalins displacement of the crime an tartars. The victims of the famines died as a result of the government not caring whether they lived. Those who died during the displacements on the other hand died either because the government wanted them dead because of their race or wanted to eradicate their culture happily letting them due in the process.

six million people have died in the civil war in the DRC in recent years. That doesn't get too many mentions.

I’m only 30 and I did World War Two, nazi Germany and the holocaust at gcse and a level. I don’t pretend to know about lots of the other atrocities mentioned, but the holocaust is one of the things I firmly believe should never be forgotten. When you look at it in close detail like we did in class, there are horrors you wouldn’t even dream up in your worst nightmare.

Starbucks

Agree totally. Teaching children about things like racism and tolerance and evil is as important as crossing the road.

Totally can’t understsnd parents who don’t bother educating their kids and blame schools.

Just bloody lazy

how about American GIs having to be warned before coming to the UK that we might treat black soldiers the same as white soldiers

My mother told me she'd never seen anything like the way some white GIs behaved towards their black compatriots. She said it was horrifying.

One reason slavery doesn’t fit the bill is because they didn’t class black people as ‘people’, they were sub-human in their eyes. Millions were wiped out systematically not just for slavery, but also during colonialism, whole countries worth of people and families gone. The effect of this is still felt today, and the same for the Holocaust, it’s shocking that it or other atrocities could ever be forgotten.

*Totally can’t understsnd parents who don’t bother educating their kids and blame schools.

Just bloody lazy*

But what about when those kids get older, why don't they bother? Are they just too busy watching shite reality tv?

I've just been reading about the Bosnian Genocide.

I did not know about it.

In 1995 I was 14. I didn't have a clue.

Surely 14 yeae olds watch the paper and read the news?

One would assume the people who want to lead our country would have learnt about the holocaust and yet, as we have seen in the UK parliament today, her majesty's loyal opposition are quite happy to sit back and let Bashar al-Assad use chemical weapons to gas his own people?
Where is the logic? I dont understand?

Some yes I can only speak for my kids and their friends who all are interested in current affairs and history/politics.

Guess there are always those that don’t care snd are well thick really

As a history and english teacher I suggest the Holocaust Education Trust, het.org for many resources, age appropriate and international. They run many many programmes for teachers and students and focus on contemporary lessons form the holocaust and other genocides. Getting into a debate about which genocide should be more remembered or taught it totally redundant. It is not a competition. The Holocaust is on the school syllabus in the UK, it is considered uniques because it was the only one that actually had a Ministry of Death and totally supported by the then government and 'educated' classes. Also we tend to learn about events closer to us, geographically and wars involved in. There is nothing to stop anyone teaching their children about every genocide committed. There's only so much time at school.

One reason slavery doesn’t fit the bill is because they didn’t class black people as ‘people’, they were sub-human in their eyes.

Also, slaves weren't at the UN convention where they defined genocide.

My parents made us watch the news. we just expected to., and current affairs shows.

We encouraged our kids too as well. My kids will encourage their kids.

By all means watch Essex and other light stuff but the news is the news. It was important in our parenting

In 1995 I was 14. I didn't have a clue.

If you can find it anywhere "Warriors" ( IMDB Review ) is worth a watch.

I've got it on DVD, I watch it every year or 2, have a cry, get a bit withdrawn for a week or so & then get back to life.

It keeps it sharp in my mind & doesn't let it fade.

There are many, many atrocities in the history of time that many of us have never heard of.

Including some that the British were directly involved in, such as the complete destruction of the culture and way of life of the Native American people.
Most of us know about the Holocaust and WW2 because it makes good subject matter for films.

I think we should move on, we have new issues to worry about.

Just no words. The holocaust was the systematic organised killing of an entire race. 6 million Jews and millions of romas, communists, gay people and disabled people were killed for no reason, in modern civilised Europe. Their homes were taken, they were thrown into concentration camps, they lost every human right but hey, let’s forget it.

I’ll remind my 95 year old grandmother of that next time I see her when she wears a short sleeved shirt revealing her camp number tattooed on her arm. Let’s forget shall we. Good idea. Why not

Found Warriors on YouTube. I'll watch it.

Because of the meds I'm on I really struggle to read. Find it much easier to watch documentaries/movies.

Wish it wasn't the case, but that's how it is.

The history.com website is good though. Short, managable chunks. I've signed up for the newsletter.

Found Warriors on YouTube. I'll watch it.

It's good - let me know what you think of it!!