Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 21 views

    Holocaust Denial and Distortion

    Uploaded by

    Danny T
    Holocaust denial, distortion, and misuse aim to undermine the historical understanding of the Holocaust in different ways: - Denial claims the Holocaust did not happen or was exaggerated, distortion distorts the facts, and misuse inappropriately compares other events to the Holocaust. - They are generally motivated by anti-Semitism and trying to reduce sympathy for Jews. Denial specifically builds on long-standing anti-Semitic tropes. - While some countries like Australia and the U.S. allow denial for freedom of speech, many European countries have laws against it given the Holocaust's occurrence there. Preventing denial is seen as important for upholding truth and safeguarding against future oppression.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Holocaust Denial and Distortion

    Uploaded by

    Danny T
    21 views3 pages
    Holocaust denial, distortion, and misuse aim to undermine the historical understanding of the Holocaust in different ways: - Denial claims the Holocaust did not happen or was exaggerated, distortion distorts the facts, and misuse inappropriately compares other events to the Holocaust. - They are generally motivated by anti-Semitism and trying to reduce sympathy for Jews. Denial specifically builds on long-standing anti-Semitic tropes. - While some countries like Australia and the U.S. allow denial for freedom of speech, many European countries have laws against it given the Holocaust's occurrence there. Preventing denial is seen as important for upholding truth and safeguarding against future oppression.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Holocaust denial, distortion, and misuse aim to undermine the historical understanding of the Holocaust in different ways: - Denial claims the Holocaust did not happen or was exaggerated, distortion distorts the facts, and misuse inappropriately compares other events to the Holocaust. - They are generally motivated by anti-Semitism and trying to reduce sympathy for Jews. Denial specifically builds on long-standing anti-Semitic tropes. - While some countries like Australia and the U.S. allow denial for freedom of speech, many European countries have laws against it given the Holocaust's occurrence there. Preventing denial is seen as important for upholding truth and safeguarding against future oppression.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    21 views3 pages

    Holocaust Denial and Distortion

    Uploaded by

    Danny T
    Holocaust denial, distortion, and misuse aim to undermine the historical understanding of the Holocaust in different ways: - Denial claims the Holocaust did not happen or was exaggerated, distortion distorts the facts, and misuse inappropriately compares other events to the Holocaust. - They are generally motivated by anti-Semitism and trying to reduce sympathy for Jews. Denial specifically builds on long-standing anti-Semitic tropes. - While some countries like Australia and the U.S. allow denial for freedom of speech, many European countries have laws against it given the Holocaust's occurrence there. Preventing denial is seen as important for upholding truth and safeguarding against future oppression.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Holocaust Denial and Distortion

    What is Holocaust denial and distortion?


    Holocaust denial is an attempt to negate (say something isn’t true) the Holocaust. Key denial points are:
    that the murder of approximately six million Jews during World War II never occurred; that the Nazis had
    no official policy or intention to exterminate the Jews or other minority groups; and that the poison gas
    chambers in Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp never existed.
    A newer trend is the distortion of the facts of the Holocaust. Common distortions include: the figure of six
    million Jewish deaths is an exaggeration; the deaths in the concentration camps were the results of disease
    or starvation but not policy; and that the diary of Anne Frank is a forgery.
    Distinct from denial and distortion is misuse of the Holocaust. Misuse occurs when aspects of the Holocaust
    are compared to events, situations, or people where there is no genocide or genocidal intent. Examples of
    Holocaust misuse include: claiming that Israeli-government actions are equivalent to those of the Nazis;
    equating the treatment of animals with the treatment of Jews and other victims during the Holocaust;
    labelling political opponents as Nazis; or misusing the terminology of the Holocaust to assert that particular
    actions are the same as actions undertaken by the Nazis.
    Holocaust denial, distortion, and misuse all undermine the understanding of history. Denial and distortion
    of the Holocaust almost always reflect anti-Semitism.

    How are Holocaust denial and distortion related to anti-Semitism?


    The Holocaust is one of the most well documented events in history. Holocaust denial and distortion are
    generally motivated by hatred of Jews, and build on the claim that the Holocaust was invented or
    exaggerated by Jews as part of a plot to advance Jewish interests. This view perpetuates (make something
    continue) long-standing anti-Semitic stereotypes by accusing Jews of conspiracy and world domination,
    hateful charges that were instrumental in laying the groundwork for the Holocaust.

    Questions

    1) What is difference between Holocaust denial, Holocaust distortion and Holocaust misuse?

    2) Do you think there is any truth in denying or distorting the Holocaust?

    3) Why do you think people deny, distort and misuse the Holocaust?

    Why do people deny, distort, or misuse the Holocaust?


    Like all forms of propaganda, Holocaust denial, distortion, and misuse are strategies to achieve objectives,
    including:
     To reduce perceived public sympathy to Jews.
     To undermine the legitimacy of the State of Israel, which some believe was created as
    compensation for Jewish suffering during the Holocaust.
     To plant seeds of doubt about Jews and the Holocaust.
     To draw attention to particular issues or genuine viewpoints.

    1
    How do people recognise Holocaust denial and distortion?
    Holocaust denial and distortion are motivated by agendas that are neither about the Holocaust nor about
    greater understanding of a documented historical event. Some Holocaust deniers, so-called “revisionists,”
    claim to be authentic scholars, when instead they manipulate facts to support a particular ideological
    position. Hiding their anti-Semitic intent under the guise of free speech, they claim to offer an alternate
    version of Holocaust history. Because legitimate scholars do not doubt that the Holocaust happened,
    Holocaust denial plays no role in legitimate historical debate. To evaluate if a claim falls within the
    spectrum of Holocaust denial and distortion, consider the following:
     Is the source reliable? Has the source made other historical claims that were exaggerated or false?
     Does the source present selected facts to support the claim?
     Does the source follow accepted methods of historical inquiry?
     Does the source reveal a particular ideology or belief?
     Does the claim fit within the generally accepted history of the Holocaust?
     What does the source want you to believe after exposure to the information?

    Is it illegal to deny the Holocaust?


    Many countries such as Australia and the United States do not prohibit freedom of speech. Therefore, in
    the Australia denying the Holocaust or engaging in anti-Semitic hate speech is not illegal, except when
    there is an imminent threat of violence. Many other countries, particularly in Europe where the Holocaust
    occurred, have laws criminalising Holocaust denial and hate speech. These different legal frameworks
    prevent a comprehensive global approach to combating Holocaust denial.

    Questions

    4) What do you think is a “revisionist”?

    5) Why do you think denying the Holocaust happened is legal in Australia and the United
    States, but illegal in many European countries?

    Why is it important to care about Holocaust denial and distortion?


    The denial or distortion of history is an assault on truth and understanding. Comprehension and memory of
    the past are crucial to how we understand ourselves, our society, and our goals for the future. Intentionally
    denying or distorting the historical record threatens communal understanding of how to safeguard
    democracy and individual rights.

    The Nazi persecution of the Jews began with hateful words, escalated to discrimination and
    dehumanization, and culminated in genocide. The consequences for Jews were horrific, but suffering and
    death was not limited to them. Millions of others were victimised, displaced, forced into slave labour, and
    murdered. The Holocaust shows that when one group is targeted, all people are vulnerable. Today, in a
    world witnessing rising anti-Semitism, awareness of this fact is critical. A society that tolerates anti-
    Semitism is susceptible to other forms of racism, hatred, and oppression.

    2
    3

    You might also like