Holocaust distortion is a significant threat to the legacy of the Holocaust. It serves as a bridge between mainstream and radical ideas and it helps Holocaust denial, antisemitism, conspiracy myths and extreme nationalism thrive. Distortion also insults the memory of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. It trivialises their lived experiences and jeopardises the lessons learned from the Holocaust, like the value of open societies.
Despite the danger it poses, Holocaust distortion is often overlooked and rarely addressed with concrete action. This International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we invite you to change this.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) has made countering Holocaust distortion central to its activities for many years. Together with international partners, we create the tools that empower political leaders and civil society representatives to take the first steps: to raise awareness, to get engaged, and to build coalitions.
The IHRA now offers a Toolkit Against Holocaust Distortion to help policy and decision makers, museum and memorial professionals, and educators take steps towards recognising and countering Holocaust distortion. It provides stakeholders with practical tools, guidance and example activities to empower them to be ambassadors for change in their institutions, governments, and communities.
Here are ways you can get involved right now:
Watch this 12-minute film and host a screening at your institution
In the short film “Holocaust Distortion: A Growing Threat”, international experts explore Holocaust distortion, how it manifests itself and why it poses such a threat to the legacy of the Holocaust. The 12-minute film offers a first introduction to the topic suitable for a variety of audiences without prior subject-matter knowledge and makes an ideal starting point for discussion or programming on countering distortion and denial.
Read and share this publication
For in-depth background on this issue, read our explanatory publication, Understanding Holocaust Distortion: Contexts, Influences and Examples. Learn about the history of Holocaust distortion, the political contexts it can be found in, and contemporary examples. This publication breaks down a complex topic to help you better identify incidents of distortion and denial.
These resources are suitable for a variety of audiences, including those without prior subject-matter knowledge. And both resources can be used in many different contexts – such as at events and panel discussions, in training and educational programs, in self-learning environments and in political contexts.
For further ways to counter Holocaust distortion this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, visit againstdistortiontoolkit.holocaustremembrance.com.
Stay engaged in the movement against Holocaust distortion and help raise awareness of this pernicious threat.
Learn more about Holocaust denial and distortion
- Recognizing and Countering Holocaust Distortion: Recommendations for Policy and Decision Makers.
- Further important resources include the IHRA working definition on Holocaust denial and distortion, IHRA Project on Holocaust Denial and Distortion Laws and the IHRA Statement on Rehabilitation.
The views expressed by the individual contributors to the blog do not necessarily reflect those of the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the United Nations, UNESCO, or officials of Member States of the Council of Europe, European Commission, IHRA, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the United Nations and UNESCO.