Commemorating Holocaust Victims: The Role of the Media in Promoting Tolerance, and Tips for Journalists
The International Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed annually on January 27, marks 80 years since the liberation of the largest Nazi extermination camp in human history – Auschwitz-Birkenau, where, according to archival data, at least 1.1 million people were killed, of whom at least one million Jews. Historical events, as well as those currently held to honor the victims of the Holocaust, continue to be topics of interest for the media. In this context, Aliona Grossu, director of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova, reminds that the press has an important role in promoting a culture of tolerance and in preventing the minimization, distortion, and denial of the Holocaust.
Photo credit: Victoria Dodon
“Despite the fact that there are many archival records – filmed and photographed evidence, made known (both in the national archive and in the archives of other countries), – voices are emerging, including through the media, that test the truth about the Holocaust, seek to revise history by distorting, diminishing, or denying certain pages of the past. It is our duty to preserve and honor the memory, the victims, and survivors of the worst crime of the 20th century, in order to never allow such atrocities to be repeated. And the media has a crucial role” Aliona Grossu points out.
CHALLENGES FOR THE PRESS
The representative of the Jewish Community lists a series of challenges that the press should be concerned with. One of them is the assessment of the extent of this phenomenon. “There are still people who question, for example, the statistical data, the number of about six million Jews who were persecuted, murdered, who died as part of the ‘final solution to the Jewish question’ during the Holocaust. When there is talk of an exaggeration of the number or the treatments that were applied to people of Jewish origin, when people of Jewish ethnicity are accused of using this argument to claim rights that do not belong to them – this would be the first myth that must be combated. We must recognize that this is a tragic chapter in history, the greatest genocide that took place and is documented in archival records at the international level, and it must not be subject to doubt,” Aliona Grossu says.
Comparison with other massacres that took place previously is “another mistake that attempts to diminish, distort, deny what happened 80 years ago. Comparing the Holocaust with another conflict or crisis and saying that what is happening now in a certain region or period is just as painful is not correct. There should be no such comparisons, diminishing the importance of each historical phenomenon, which must be treated as such.”
She also reminds us of the importance of educational materials on this topic, to educate the younger generation and to ensure that the memory of the Holocaust will not be forgotten. “Changing attitudes and perceptions is extremely important in the current period, when, regrettably, there is a lot of intolerance, discrimination, xenophobia. These arguments are particularly dangerous when tensions are high, and speculations appear aimed at causing disagreements between different ethnic groups. The Holocaust concerns us all, and this fact, being known, can help us and save us from many challenges,” concludes the director of the Jewish Community.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JOURNALISTS
Aliona Grossu has come up with a series of recommendations for representatives of the media, which aim at deepening the understanding of the Holocaust and at combating myths.
Oppose the denial and distortion of the Holocaust, helping others to share this knowledge.
Show that behind the statistics, the large number of victims, there are concrete people – grandparents, parents, and children in all the fullness of their lives, who had no fault in being exterminated.
Avoid comparing massacres. In the context of events in the Middle East, it is not appropriate to compare things related to the foreign policy of the state of Israel with facts regarding the history of the Holocaust. The internal or foreign policy of the state of Israel must not harm historical facts, their recognition and coverage.
Refer to the testimonies of Holocaust survivors. Research archival documents. Examine various national and international sources and resources. The photographic and filmed evidence is a unique and memorable arsenal.
There is also another important chapter in the history of the Holocaust, written by the thousands of people who risked their lives to save the victims of persecution: they hid Jews in their homes, helped them escape, or adopted Jewish children. In recognition of their acts of courage, these rescuers receive the title of Righteous Among the Nations, and 79 people from Moldova have been honored with this title to date. These stories may be newsworthy.
This material was developed as part of the "Get the Trolls Out!" project, the fifth phase of a program to encourage young people to fight against religious discrimination and intolerance in Europe. Within this project, the IJC has the task of monitoring the way several media outlets reflect religious topics.
Article in Romanian here
