Preserving Historical Images

When statements denying the Holocaust were first heard outside of closed doors, many of us were shocked and amazed. How could anyone deny what happened to the Jews of Europe and so many others during World War II?  But as technology broke down communication barriers, Holocaust denial burgeoned into a growth industry, with a head of state as its leader.  Every speech, book, article, film or television program questioning the Holocaust adds fuel to anti-Semitism around the world. In some corners of the world, the Holocaust is portrayed as nothing more than a myth invented by Jews.

As time between past and present grows, the number of survivors declines. The generations that follow bear the responsibility of ensuring that their memories survive the natural human life cycle. We cannot wait until no one is left to tell the story or confront the deniers and those who debase and devalue the meaning of the Shoah. We must act now.

On January 27, 1945, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, was liberated, and in 2005, the United Nations General Assembly designated this day as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Across the globe, this day is an opportunity to remember, reflect and educate, but this year we must also make a commitment to preserving history.

Last year, Auschwitz-Birkenau received  more than 1.4 million visitors seeking to better understand the horrors of Hitler’s “final solution”, a record; yet earlier this month, a fitness center in Dubai saw nothing wrong with an advertising  promotional campaign that included an image of the railroad leading to the former death camp with a slogan that read, “Kiss your calories goodbye.” Public outrage resulted in an apology, but the scariest part of this story is that the advertisement made it from idea to design, and finally to publication without anyone questioning the wisdom of the image and its accompanying words. Apparently, nobody thought it was offensive, or worse, didn’t care. 

In November 2011, American actress Susan Sarandon saw nothing wrong with publicly referring to the Pope as “a Nazi”. But the questions is, why did she think this was acceptable? After being criticized , she apologized. During the same month, in India, nobody questioned the decision to name a soap opera which airs 5 days a week “Hitler Didi," which roughly translated in English means "Auntie Hitler". Again outrage, an apology, and in this case a new title. Our own Jewish community is not immune from this alarming phenomenon. Just weeks ago, members of the ultra-orthodox community in Israel wore concentration camp garb and yellow Stars of David to convey  their alleged persecution by secular Israelis.

The symbols that for much of the post-Holocaust era were equated with anti-Semitism, systematic murder and torture are suddenly considered good marketing tools and acceptable everyday analogies. Each Holocaust analogy that breeches the mainstream whittles away at historical facts and licenses someone else to do the same. This cycle is gaining momentum and eventually the memories will fade and take on new meaning. Do we really want the dictionaries of the world to redefine “Hitler”, “Auschwitz”, and “Nazi”?

Preserving the history of the Holocaust means starting with the truth. Hitler was an anti-Semitic dictator who was responsible for the murder of millions of Jews across Europe. Auschwitz was built by Nazi Germany for the sole purpose of exterminating Jews. These facts are amongst the best documented in history. 

Every day, we are bombarded by millions of unrelenting images and messages. The images of the Holocaust represent the systematic industrialized murder of millions and should never translate into the selling of products or expressing anger towards a political foe.  We cannot afford to let time and complacency alter the historic facts and the accuracy of the world’s memory about the Holocaust. We must never forget what was lost, and what the images of hate and destruction really symbolize. 

On this International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, we must have a renewed commitment to preserving and promoting the true meaning of “never again.”

By Mr. Robert O. Trestan, Eastern States Civil Rights Counsel, Anti-Defamation League (USA) and a Member of the EJU-Tzedek Fighting anti-Semitism Task Force.