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Phyllis Greenberg Heideman
President of International March of the Living

80 years on: Remembering the Holocaust is no longer enough

Holocaust Survivor Harry Olmer at the 2018 March of the Living in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland. (International March of the Living)
Holocaust Survivor Harry Olmer at the 2018 March of the Living in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland. (International March of the Living)
This year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day marks 80 years since the end of World War II and the liberation of the concentration camps. Nearly a century has passed, but much of the world does not devote adequate resources to teaching about the Holocaust or remembering its victims. Holocaust education faces challenges in the form of Holocaust denial and distortion, historical ignorance, budget shortfalls, political conflicts, and cultural sensitivities. How can these problems be addressed?
Holocaust education differs around the world. In Germany, for example, it forms an integral part of the curriculum, which includes a variety of learning methods, including visits to concentration camps and meetings with survivors. Elsewhere, the Holocaust is part of the curriculum in approximately half the world’s countries. In the United States, it is mandatory in around half of the country’s states, while in others it is optional. In most of Asia and Africa, study of the Holocaust is not mandatory. In 2023, in a historic move, the United Arab Emirates announced that it would become the first Arab country to include the Holocaust in its curriculum.
Holocaust denial and distortion, particularly online, presents a major challenge to both formal and informal Holocaust education. In its 2013 ‘Working Definition of Holocaust Denial and Distortion,’ the IHRA identified ten aspects to this problem, including efforts to excuse or minimize the impact of the Holocaust, blaming the Jews for causing their own genocide, accusing Jews of “using” the Holocaust for gain, and blurring the responsibility for Nazi Germany’s establishment of concentration and death camps.
Studies have found that Holocaust education results in more tolerant attitudes towards minorities, not just Jews. In Understanding and Teaching Holocaust Education (2017), for example, Paula Cowan and Henry Maitles found that implementing an in-depth Holocaust education curriculum in Scotland had relatively positive effects on students’ perceptions of minorities. Studies of Holocaust education programs in U.S. secondary school are also generally positive. Visits to Auschwitz and other concentration camps, meanwhile, have been proven to lead to an increase in empathy and understanding of human suffering. Meetings with Holocaust survivors also have a key role to play.
At the International March of the Living, we conducted several long-term studies with the participants of our programs visiting concentration camps and meeting with survivors. The results revealed a significant impact: an average increase of 89% in their commitment to human rights, including fighting genocide and combating racism, was recorded. Additionally, 87% of participants reported an increase in their tolerance for other groups following their experience with the March of the Living.
Holocaust education develops empathy through the telling of real, human stories. Understanding the suffering of others improves our abilities to see the other as a human being with rights just like us. Holocaust education typically emphasizes the importance of universal values like human rights, equality, and democracy, and teaches what happens when these values are trampled on. Young people who learn about the Holocaust therefore are also more likely to be involved in social and political activities defending these values.
This is backed up by statistics. Data from RealityCheck Research found that antisemitic crimes decreased by 54.8 percent in U.S. states with Holocaust-education laws, while hate crimes against black communities also declined by more than 55 percent. These states also saw drops in hate crimes against other minorities. This appears to indicate a direct correlation between Holocaust education and the potential to address both antisemitism and racism towards other groups.
Phyllis Greenberg Heideman at the March of the Living in Auschwitz-Birkenau. (Sam Churchill)
As the Holocaust survivor generation dwindles, the responsibility to preserve its memory falls to future generations. Yet, Holocaust denial, distortion, and revisionism are rising, fueled by digital-age misinformation.
Survivors endured unimaginable suffering and hoped, perhaps naively, that the horrors they faced would never be repeated. Their testimonies and resilience remind us that Holocaust remembrance is not only about honoring victims but also combating ignorance and preventing history from repeating itself.
Education is crucial in preserving this legacy. Holocaust curricula emphasize historical facts and universal lessons: tolerance for the “other” and standing against hatred and injustice. Its impact extends beyond the Jewish community, promoting human rights and empathy.
Technology enables survivor testimonies to remain accessible even after they are gone. Social media, often a platform for hate, can become a tool for Holocaust education. Educational tours, like the March of the Living, offer transformative experiences, connecting participants to Jewish history and inspiring them to combat modern antisemitism and indifference toward persecuted minorities.
Preventing future atrocities requires education, legislation, and international cooperation. The 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation is a moment to recommit to values of equality, tolerance, and respect. The choices we make today—how we confront antisemitism, combat prejudice, and defend human rights—will shape our generation’s legacy. It is our moral duty to ensure “Never Again” is not just an aspiration but a reality.
Holocaust education is about more than a history lesson – it’s a vital tool for building a more tolerant, humanistic, and just society. It must therefore be expanded globally, in a way that is appropriate for each country and community, and with innovative, tech-savvy methods.
Leaders, educators, and international organizations must work together to remember the Holocaust and prevent a repetition of its horrors. Remembering is not enough – we must act and adapt our methods to engage the young generation. Only then will we be able to guarantee a better future for the coming generations.
About the Author
Phyllis Greenberg Heideman is president of International March of the Living, the annual international Holocaust education program.
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