Press releases

2nd September 2008, Holocaust Education in the News - Our Response

On August 29th, the Daily Mail and the Times Education Supplement published short articles reporting that a recent academic research study indicated that Holocaust education 'breeds racism'. We have spoken with the authors of the study and in the strongest possible terms they refute the interpretation given to the report.

Our letter to the Editor of the Daily Mail is printed below:

Dear Sir,

It is absolutely preposterous to suggest that ‘Teaching children about the Holocaust breeds racism’ 29th August 2008.

Over 18 years, the Anne Frank Trust, the UK sister organisation of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam – one of the world’s most respected educational museums - has taught over 2 million young people about Anne Frank’s life and the history of the Holocaust.

From this extensive experience, we know that when the Holocaust is taught well, pupils from all religions, ethnic backgrounds and from both genders, take this subject extremely seriously. For many pupils, these lessons remain with them as a powerful influence over their attitudes towards personal responsibility, compassion and respect for differences.  

Of course it is difficult for teachers to get across the profundity of the terror and tragedy wrought upon so many millions of innocent people during the Second World War, and of course it is extremely challenging to relate this to young peoples’ own lives in Britain today.

However, despite these challenges, it is as vital as ever to ensure that the Holocaust is taught in depth to all children in Britain. Sadly, racism and far right political politics continue to threaten the social cohesion of our communities. Only yesterday, the government acknowledged that its own leaked research suggests that ‘there is a risk of a downturn increasing the appeal of far-right extremism and racism’.

In 1945, only a matter of months after the end of the Second World War, the Daily Mail made the brave decision to publish what became one of the most shocking books ever to be distributed in the UK.

It was called ‘Lest We Forget’ and contained dozens of photographs of the horrifying scenes found at the liberation of several of the Nazi death camps in which millions of men, women and children perished. The pictures remain just as appalling today. We are sure that Daily Mail readers, many of whom will have fought to free Europe from Nazism, will share our commitment to ensure that in Britain, the Holocaust is never forgotten.

Yours faithfully,

Gillian Walnes
Executive Director, The Anne Frank Trust UK

Click here to read the original article (opens new link to Daily Mail website)

If you would like to demonstrate your support for our work or to comment on this letter, please contact us at info@annefrank.org.uk