Lassman Writing Contest: ‘Always Remember’
Always Remember
Elie Wiesel once said, “To forget a Holocaust is to kill twice.”
This means that not recognizing and remembering the Holocaust, the worst genocide in the history of the world, is just as horrible as repeating the Holocaust itself. During a five-year period, 11 million people were murdered. Six million of the individuals who were killed were Jews. The 5 million others consisted of the Roma, the disabled, Slavs, Communists, Socialists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, and other groups. These deaths are not just numbers or statistics. Every single person who was murdered was a unique individual with a different background and story to tell. They had good times and hard times. They laughed. They cried. They loved. They lived. Just like us.
That is, until the Nazis came to power in Europe. They restricted everything these people could do, especially the Jews. What did these people do to deserve the hatred, persecution, and death they so harshly received? The answer is that they did absolutely nothing wrong. Adolf Hitler and the Nazis didn’t need a reason to harass, murder, and destroy the lives of millions of innocent people. As the years pass since this tragedy, few survivors remain. The memories are slowly beginning to fade. There will very soon come a time when there is no one left to remind us of this horrible event. We can’t let the knowledge of the Holocaust slip from our grasp. One of the most effective ways of keeping these memories and stories alive is teaching them to our future generations in schools. Holocaust education helps us to recognize similar problems in our society, prevents us from repeating past mistakes, and empowers students to make a difference.
Teaching about the Holocaust in schools is necessary because it helps prevent us from repeating past mistakes. As Primo Levi said, “It happened, therefore it can happen again.” If the Holocaust happened, it could happen again. This is why it is so important to be educated about the Holocaust. We never want to repeat this horrific portion of our history. The more informed we are, the better chance we have of stopping it from happening again.
Currently in the United States, only 19 out of 50 states are required to teach the Holocaust in schools. This means that 62% of students across America do not get a required education about the Holocaust. Countless other students across the world are never informed about the Holocaust. This is extremely concerning not only for the individuals, but for all of humanity. How will stop repeating our mistakes if over half the population isn’t informed about the past? Although these statistics are quite alarming, there is still hope. A recent study found that, “despite these serious gaps in their historical knowledge, the vast majority of the Claims Conference Poll respondents – 80 percent – believed that education about the Holocaust could help prevent such genocides in the future.” In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, “The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” It is obvious that students will better be able to learn from our past mistakes if they are educated about the Holocaust in schools.
Additionally, Holocaust education is vital is because it can help students to recognize issues in our society today. Some of these concerns include scapegoating, racism, abuse of power, violence, and intolerance. These issues fueled the Holocaust, and they can fuel other tragedies if we aren’t careful, aware, and informed at all times. When we notice this happening around us, we need to take action. We can’t just be bystanders, especially considering the state of the world we live in. Sadly, there has been an alarming spike in hate crimes lately, targeting Jews specifically. In New York City alone, antisemitic hate crimes have increased by 400% in February 2022. It is terrifying to think that the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust are happening now, in our world, our country, our state, and yes, even in our own community. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are many ways in which we can improve our society.
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented,” Wiesel said. We may think we are helping situations by avoiding conflict and remaining neutral. However, this is never the case. Always voicing our support and defending the persecuted is necessary in today’s world. It is not enough for us to feel pity or sympathy for those who are being targeted. Wishing things were different doesn’t help anyone or improve any situation. Making the world a better place starts with us. As Mahatma Gandhi is widely credited with saying, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” When Holocaust education is present, there is a greater chance that students will be able to recognize recurring problems that we face today, and eventually help to create a brighter future.
It is necessary that schools require Holocaust education because it allows students to learn from past mistakes, identify similar issues that we still face today, and make the world a better place, where love triumphs over hate. Often, we think that the problems occurring in our society don’t affect us. We may find ourselves asking, “if it doesn’t directly affect me, why should I bother?” However, the issues that fueled the Holocaust are still present today and they do affect us individually. Although we might not be the ones who are being targeted, it is our responsibility to ensure that everyone receives respect, equality, and kindness.
Learning about the Holocaust can inspire us to make better decisions and always be conscious of what is happening in our world. Students can make an enormous impact on the lives of others and the entire world. We can stand up for those who are bullied and discriminated against. We can promote equality and love towards all. Most importantly, we can be an example to all our peers. Afterall, actions speak louder than words.