People march through downtown Chicago protesting Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip on May 16, 2021. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Three Reasons Why Holocaust Education Has Failed Us

The missing lessons of the Holocaust and how they fuel antisemitism today


By LIAT WEISS
History Editor
29 October 2024

In a period where diversity, equity, and inclusion are celebrated in our country, I am shocked by the overwhelming rise in antisemitism this past year. The FBI reported “that about 55% of all religious-based hate crimes were driven by anti-Jewish bias” in 2022. By the end of 2023, there was a 360% increase in antisemitic incidents, just in the US alone. However, even before this year, antisemitism has been on the rise since the 1970’s.


I. Holocaust Universalism


In the context of Holocaust education, the history of the Jewish people and antisemitism is complex. To make Holocaust education digestible, especially for middle schoolers, some educators simplify it into a ‘hero’s journey’ narrative, which is misleading. Nazi propaganda is framed as “the call to adventure,” while the Jews who stayed in Europe “refused the call,” concluding that the lesson is not to hate thy neighbor.


Holocaust universalism posits that the Holocaust represents hatred. That hating others can lead to similar atrocities. However, the Holocaust is not a consequence of hatred. The unfortunate truth is that there is hate everywhere, and that hatred alone did not lead to the systemic extermination of 6 million people.

Antisemitism is one of the oldest forms of prejudice and bigotry. It is a cycle of societal violence that has hit the Jewish people repeatedly throughout history. The ostracism, the stripping of Jewish people’s rights, and the beatings of family members, were not uniquely tied to the Holocaust. The Holocaust’s significance lies in the global silence that occurred as they witnessed the Nazi dehumanization and execution of Jewish people.


II. Social Psychology


Hatred did not lead us to the Holocaust; complacency and groupthink did. Social psychology research flourished after the Holocaust as survivors sought to understand how and why it happened. Initially, like many victims, they blamed themselves for the abuse they endured, believing their Jewishness was the problem. However, social psychology research revealed that survivors had internalized the surrounding anti-Jewish bias: antisemitism was the problem.


The spread of extremist ideology involves psychological factors like social isolation which leads to the need for belonging. In psychology, the solution to this feeling of exclusion and depression is social cohesion. Cohesive groups foster conformity and obedience to the group’s norms, leading to in-group favoritism, or bias, and the rejection of ideals that do not align with the group.

Groupthink emerges from highly cohesive groups under pressure to conform, leading to closed-mindedness, uniformity pressures, self-censorship, and selective bias in information processing. This phenomenon, also known as mob mentality, results in a loss of personal identity and responsibility.











Under the rationale that the group is held accountable for any actions, individual members tend to engage in more extreme, or violent, behaviors.


This dynamic is evident in post-Great Depression Germany, where citizens felt powerless and sought unity. With enticing words, Hitler exploited this vulnerability, gaining widespread support for his racist ideology through social cohesion and groupthink. Anyone who disagreed with the Nazi Party was at risk of losing their friends and neighbors at best, and their dignity and liberty at worst. The loom of social and political exclusion kept the Nazi sympathizers going.

Intuition signals to us when our views morph solely to appease a group. Therefore, educating students on these social influences can help them recognize and resist propaganda.


III. Ideology, Politics, and Propaganda


Holocaust education often overlooks the gradual indoctrination in German society that normalized antisemitism. In the 1920’s, the Nazi Party targeted the youth by promoting antisemitic ideologies in schools under the guise of political movements aimed at post-Great Depression recovery. Adolf Hitler falsely blamed Jews for Germany’s World War I defeat and the subsequent economic downturn.

Through emotionally charged propaganda, Hitler instilled an “us vs. them” mentality in German youth. Cleverly, the Nazi party name, “National Socialist German Workers’ Party,” appealed to diverse demographics, gaining widespread support. Many assimilated German Jews initially believed that Nazi power wouldn’t last, but by the 1930s, hopes had faded as German teachers censored discussions opposing Nazi ideals and racist policies ultimately led to the exclusion of Jewish students and professionals.

To foster loyalty, organizations like The Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls aligned ordinary activities, like sports or art, with Nazi ideology. These organizations formulated rallies and slogans to uphold and promote such ideals. People lost their sense of individuality, following the way of the Nazi system, and remained committed to such organizations. 







By the time Jews were forced into concentration camps, it was already too late: antisemitism was normalized. Europeans were convinced that Jewish people deserved their fate.


IV. Relevance Today


‘History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.’ — Mark Twain

Anti-Israel protest on Columbia University campus in New York City. Courtesy of Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The parallels between 1920’s Germany and 2020’s United States are alarming. It is dreadful to see propaganda hitting educational spaces. Like Nazi Germany, instead of confronting the root of the problem, ordinary citizens are convinced that Jewish people are to blame for the problems of the world.

In a period where the West faces political and economic instability after the hard impact of the pandemic, we have hit a weak spot in society. Western youth are disconnected from the issues in the East, are running from their issues in the West, and now, their vulnerability is being exploited. Propaganda can influence even the smartest of people.

Terror proxies funded by the Iranian Government, known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), use the same emotional appeal tactics that Hitler used for his movement. They are funding organizations misdefined by words which imply justice, stating that their issue is with “Zionists” when they truly mean “Jewish.” Further, such organizations seek to prevent dialogue between individuals by taking an “anti-normalization” stance, preventing any path towards peace. Evidently, this alluring ideology is disguised as a social justice movement to provide a base for fueling world-wide antisemitism.



Evil does not call itself evil.

Naively, I thought that if Holocaust education were effective, surely students would be aware of the agendas these social political organizations are pushing. Unfortunately, only 20 states require Holocaust education, and even then, it is not always properly enforced. The most crucial lesson the Holocaust reveals is to think critically and question the status quo.

As George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” By understanding this history and its manifestations, we can prevent it from happening again.




Building the global Jewish consciousness.


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