When we come to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, let's start with the good news: blatant Holocaust denial is now a negligible phenomenon. It can still be found on the extreme fringes of social media, yet no respected, intellectual or influential leader would argue that there were no gas chambers. Now for the bad news: Holocaust distortion and contempt are very common, even in major circles around the world. Holocaust perpetrators, unlike Holocaust deniers, admit that the Holocaust did take place - but invent historical narratives that most, if not all, are false. These narratives, which include manipulations of the facts, are designed to serve problematic agendas and give legitimacy to past and present crimes. These narratives often gain public support due to the lack of public knowledge, as well as due to the fact that they align with existing prejudices. These are wonderfully funded and coordinated moves, sometimes by governments or forces in civil society.
In some countries, a kind of "national branding" has been taking place in recent years. One manifestation of this process is the redefinition of the state as a heroic community of anti-Nazi and savior Jews of the Holocaust. The perverts rely on the fact that there have indeed been cases of rescue and resistance in their countries and inflate these phenomena, along with diminishing the role played by many of the citizens, leaders and institutions in the murderous persecution of the Jewish citizens. However, the sheer scale of the horrors of the Holocaust would not have been possible without the cooperation of locals with Nazi Germany.
Attempts by governments to "enact" historical narratives are also not new, but recently they have become increasingly prominent. The law in some countries currently prohibits the "violation of national dignity," which is allegedly caused by the mention of local cooperation with the Nazis in the persecution and murder of Jews. In other countries, the law obscures the ethnic identity of the Jews - the victims of the systematic extermination. Various regimes now glorify historical figures as patriotic heroes, despite their participation in the persecution and murder of the Jews. The distorted promotion of flawed figures as role models does not bode well for the future of these countries. As a result, expert historians have been delegitimized and even put on trial. Students in such societies are afraid to engage in Holocaust studies, which may be problematic for their future professional careers, and may even lead to their persecution.
The distortion of the Holocaust can be more harmful, unfortunate and destructive to the memory of the Holocaust than to its denial, because with its help the rejection of historical truth becomes a more "convenient" process.
Today, as many around the world turn their attention to the Holocaust heritage, the international community must redouble its efforts to expand Holocaust research and its independent and fact-based teaching.
The Holocaust is a unique, unprecedented and unparalleled event, but it has considerable relevance to vital issues such as genocide and other atrocities, in that it is possible to stand against it and gain valuable insights.
Historical accuracy is essential.
We can not compromise on that.
First and foremost, we owe it to the Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered in the ghettos, concentration and extermination camps, or at the killing sites after they were starved, enslaved, and eventually murdered by the Nazis and their accomplices.
Equally important are the records of the actions of those who committed or were complicit in these crimes, and their commitment to take responsibility for them.
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