18 February 2019 | ANALYSIS
A poll commissioned by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust found that one in twenty British adults do not believe the Holocaust occurred. Twelve percent believe the scale of the genocide has been hugely inflated.
The poll found that nearly half of those questioned said they did not know how many Jews were murdered by the Nazis. According to the Guardian newspaper, one in five thought it was less than two million.
Olivia Marks-Woldman, from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said in response to the findings, “Such widespread ignorance and even denial is shocking.” She went on to say, “Without a basic understanding of this recent history, we are in danger of failing to learn where a lack of respect for difference and hostility to others can ultimately lead.”
Those who were asked to participate in the survey were not believed to be anti-Semitic or Holocaust deniers. They are just people who do not understand basic facts. Some are heavily influenced by the mass dissemination of vile distortions of history and myths on social media whilst others receive their information from one sided political events and media outlets.
Chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, Karen Pollack, said the survey showed a need to increase Holocaust education as “one person questioning the truth of the genocide is one too many.”
The survey was conducted by the Opinion Matters polling company on behalf of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and questioned 2000 people. Other recent surveys have shown a huge increase in statements such as “Jews have too much power” and “Jews exploit Holocaust victimhood for their own purposes.”
Since Jeremy Corbyn has been elected Leader of the Labour Party, Aliyah inquiries to immigrate to Israel have reached their highest number ever recorded.
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James Marlow is a journalist and international news contributor. Contact him at James@TheJewishWeekly.com and follow him on Twitter @James_J_Marlow.
