News > Culture > "Auschwitz What?"

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THURSDAY DECEMBER 2 2004 10:00 PM

Forty-five of percent of people surveyed in a BBC poll in Great Britain did not understand the word Auschwitz. Sixty percent of those under the age of thirty also could not place the NAZI concentration camp.

"We were amazed by the results of our audience research," said Laurence Rees, a producer on the series, "Auschwitz: The Nazis & the 'Final Solution."'

"It's easy to presume that the horrors of Auschwitz are engrained in the nation's collective memory, but obviously this is not the case." []

"The name Auschwitz is quite rightly a byword for horror, but the problem with thinking about horror is that we naturally turn away from it," Rees said.

The BBC said the research was based on a nationally representative postal survey of 4,000 adults 16 and older.

It's difficult to imagine that over half of the people under the age of thirty do not know of Auschwitz, but I also understand that many people in the United States believe that there is a link between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein, that many people on the African continent believe that sleeping with a virgin will cure them of AIDS, and that many people worldwide believe that Jesus is going to return within the next decade, convert or kill most of the jews, and reclaim the Earth for a thousand year reign.

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Comments

crispy

NEWSWIRE

Philadelphia, PA

DEC 02, 2004 10:05 PM

History is old news to a lot of people these days, which is really quite sad.

"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it".

freshprncebelair

Ellicott City, MD

June 2004

DEC 02, 2004 10:12 PM

crispy said:
History is old news to a lot of people these days, which is really quite sad.

"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it".

You took the words out of my mouth

Koenigsegg

I'm lost

July 2004

DEC 02, 2004 10:13 PM

it should have said 'ausch-whatz'?

sorry.

Calypso

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

DEC 02, 2004 10:25 PM

This is why I despise 99% of my peers.

Pirate_Romeo

Oklahoma City, OK

November 2004

DEC 02, 2004 10:33 PM

So much for "nie wieder (never again)"
How pathetic.

Cavatica

Raleigh, NC

August 2004

DEC 02, 2004 10:39 PM

People probably wouldn't think there was a link between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein if the Bush Administration didn't keep insisting that there is, loudly and frequently and with their clenched little fists beating on the floor.

10thMANdown

Bronx, NY

October 2004

DEC 02, 2004 10:40 PM

hm, well a number of uninformed american's may still believe what we all assumed at one time about the former iraqi's ties to al quaeda, but that seems neither here nor there. as for Jesus' return: they dont seem to believe he will kill or convert Jews, as the difference between christian's and jews is that jews are still waiting for the first coming of christ, and so upon his arrival would need no conversion. i thought that the rest of the article was interesting, though.

10thMANdown

Bronx, NY

October 2004

DEC 02, 2004 10:42 PM

Cavatica said:
People probably wouldn't think there was a link between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein if the Bush Administration didn't keep insisting that there is, loudly and frequently and with their clenched little fists beating on the floor.[/QUOTE

haha. silly liberals. i guess there is one in every bunch that still insists on making such statements.

kenn

Chicago, IL

November 2003

DEC 02, 2004 10:47 PM

If that's why you despise 99% of your peers, I'd place you on par w/Justin Timberlake-loving elitist socialites.
The second world war is a popular war. More people treasure WWII memorabilia than that of any other wars combined. The History Channel routinely airs documentaries on Hitler, the SS, D-day, WWII weaponry, etc. daily, while giving little coverage of the Viet Nam conflict and even less to Korea, WWI, etc. The baby boomers, those responsible for fighting the war, are now at a peak-consumer age. Interest in WWII is trendy.
To say that, because someone doesn't know the meaning or location of Auschwitz (hell, I don't even think I'd be able to pinpoint it on a map), he is despisable demonstrates a lack of tolerance to his interests, and only his interests. Now, had the study asked 4000 adults if they knew who the Nazis were and what they generally did, then the results would be cause for alarm. But the knowledge of one concentration camp isn't necessary to avoid making the same mistakes the Nazis did. Hell, somebody could just make another camp in a different place w/a different name.
45% isn't even a majority. The producer was obviously trying to make a mountain out of a molehill in an attempt to promote his show.

handsome_rob

Burlington, IA

May 2004

DEC 02, 2004 11:00 PM

i was just telling my dad today that i've lost faith in people, and that they are all idiots anyway. this just adds to my argument.

(edited for typographical errors)

[Edited on Dec 02, 2004 11:20PM]

MisterSatan

Portland, OR

August 2002

DEC 02, 2004 11:02 PM

skankzor said:

crispy said:
History is old news to a lot of people these days, which is really quite sad.

"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it".

You took the words out of my mouth

The Reverend Jim Jones's mouth, actually.

Calypso

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

DEC 02, 2004 11:07 PM

kenn said:
If that's why you despise 99% of your peers, I'd place you on par w/Justin Timberlake-loving elitist socialites.

Point of contention number one: fuck yourself. Or your high-horse. I don't give a shit, personally.

kenn said:
To say that, because someone doesn't know the meaning or location of Auschwitz (hell, I don't even think I'd be able to pinpoint it on a map), he is despisable demonstrates a lack of tolerance to his interests, and only his interests.

Point number two: It's not that hard to pay attention in a 9th grade history class. If you didn't, you're stupid. I hated school and barely did my homework, but I paid attention to the teachers and read my textbooks. Why? They teach this shit for a reason. Not just so you can say, "I know where Auschwitz was/is," but so that you can understand why the world is the way it is today.

I don't expect anyone to be able to "pinpoint it on a map", but to not know the horrors that occurred there, that's just laziness. There have been numerous shows on numerous channels about Auschwitz alone, and that's extra-curricular!

Quit watching MTV for an hour or two and fucking learn something.

kenn said:
Now, had the study asked 4000 adults if they knew who the Nazis were and what they generally did, then the results would be cause for alarm. But the knowledge of one concentration camp isn't necessary to avoid making the same mistakes the Nazis did. Hell, somebody could just make another camp in a different place w/a different name.

Point three: You can watch fucking "South Park" and learn about Nazis.

And it's not all about aversion, it's about compassion and tolerance. To learn what those people went through simply for who they were religiously and genetically, that adds a whole new level of respect for an entire peoples.

kenn said:
45% isn't even a majority. The producer was obviously trying to make a mountain out of a molehill in an attempt to promote his show.

Point five: If 45% isn't a lot to you, you're a bigger douche than you'll ever know.

Lotusmonger

Chicago, IL

May 2004

DEC 02, 2004 11:09 PM

isn't the upkeep policy on Auschwitz and the other camps to NOT upkeep them? meaning that they are just letting the camps be reclaimed by nature?

I was in Europe on a family vacation in 1983 when I saw Auschwitz... piles of hair, exhibits of luggage, mountains of eyeglasses. Those are the things I remember. And the brick walls, especially the ones not attached to buildings.

Most of the people in the countries that house the camps want them to be forgotten, want them to decay. I mean, we sure let Manzanar and Tula Lake go down fast!