Are we forgetting the lesson of the Holocaust? A child survivor rebuked a British politician for her “dehumanising” language about refugees and warned the world to take heed of the tragedies of the past.
Survivor, 83, calls out rhetoric on migrants
Are we forgetting the lesson of the Holocaust? A child survivor rebuked a British politician for her "dehumanising" language about refugees and warned the world to take heed of the tragedies of the past.
<h2 class=" eplus-wrapper" id="crosshead">Confronting the past</h2>
"A front page of the Telegraph with a plane [of asylum seekers] taking off to Rwanda, that's my dream, it's my obsession," said Britain's home secretaryIn Britain, they are responsible for national security, immigration and policing. Suella Braverman in October.
On another occasion, she spoke of a migrant "invasion" that would destabilise Britain,
One woman was not willing to let this kind of language slide. Joan Salter, an elderly HolocaustThe murder of six million Jewish people in Europe by Nazi Germany. Members of other minority groups were also killed. survivor and campaigner, stood up in a constituencyAn area whose voters elect a person to represent them. meeting with Braverman last Friday to challenge Braverman's statements.
"When I hear you using words against refugees like 'swarms' and an 'invasion', I am reminded of the language used to dehumanise and justify the murder of my family and millions of others," she said.
Braverman, unintimidated, replied: "I won't apologise for the language that I have used to demonstrate the scale of the problem."
In an article penned shortly after the exchange, Salter stated that "when I hear the kind of rhetoric being used by our politicians against desperate refugees... I am concerned by how quickly we have forgotten the lessons of the past."
Her remarks coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day, as people around the world remember the atrocities of a genocideThe annihilation of a people, either through killing of its members, or through the suppression of its culture. in which more than six million Jews were systematically murdered by Adolf Hitler's Third ReichThe Nazi regime referred to itself as the "Third Empire", following the German Holy Roman Empire (800-1806) and the Second Reich (1871-1918)..
But recent surveys suggest that awareness of the Holocaust is low. A poll from 2019 showed that one in 20 Brits do not believe that the Holocaust happened, a quarter of young Dutch people think that the Holocaust was either a myth or "exaggerated", and 23% of young American adults are not aware of how many Jewish people died.
Many think this ignorance could lead to dark consequences, stating that dehumanising certain groups could lead to a repeat of the tragedies of the past.
"Propaganda and words of division can create such hatred that ordinary people can turn on their neighbours," warns Salter.
Yes: Britain became home to 10,000 predominantly Jewish children who were rescued from Nazi-controlled territory via KindertransportGerman for children's transport. During World War Two, individuals and companies sponsored around 10,000 Jewish children to bring them to Britain to save them from the Holocaust. nine months before the war started. Nowadays, it is one of many countries denying entry to people.
No: Although both situations are tragic, there is no fruitful comparison between migrants today and Holocaust victims.
Or... There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the Holocaust. But predominantly, Holocaust Memorial Day should be a space to commemorate the victims who died, not to talk about modern political issues.
Home secretary - In Britain, they are responsible for national security, immigration and policing.
Holocaust - The murder of six million Jewish people in Europe by Nazi Germany. Members of other minority groups were also killed.
Constituency - An area whose voters elect a person to represent them.
Genocide - The annihilation of a people, either through killing of its members, or through the suppression of its culture.
Third Reich - The Nazi regime referred to itself as the "Third Empire", following the German Holy Roman Empire (800-1806) and the Second Reich (1871-1918).
Kindertransport - German for children's transport. During World War Two, individuals and companies sponsored around 10,000 Jewish children to bring them to Britain to save them from the Holocaust.
<h5 class=" eplus-wrapper" id="question"><strong>Are we forgetting the lesson of the Holocaust? </strong></h5>
Survivor, 83, calls out rhetoric on migrants

Glossary
Home secretary - In Britain, they are responsible for national security, immigration and policing.
Holocaust - The murder of six million Jewish people in Europe by Nazi Germany. Members of other minority groups were also killed.
Constituency - An area whose voters elect a person to represent them.
Genocide - The annihilation of a people, either through killing of its members, or through the suppression of its culture.
Third Reich - The Nazi regime referred to itself as the "Third Empire", following the German Holy Roman Empire (800-1806) and the Second Reich (1871-1918).
Kindertransport - German for children's transport. During World War Two, individuals and companies sponsored around 10,000 Jewish children to bring them to Britain to save them from the Holocaust.