NZFOI: This article is remarkable in that it draws together evidence that there was significant sympathy for the Nazi Fascist philosophies of the 1930s. These sympathies were more widely held than the Western world would care to admit following the discovery of the death camps uncovered toward the end of WW2. Today few recall that in the early- to mid-1930s, the world was unsure as to what to make of Fascism and Communism. There were groups on both sides of the spectrum that recognized the potential for evil both these philosophies could unleash. Equally there many that thought that either one of these philosophies would bring the longed for prosperity and happiness that had eluded society for so long. But the silent majority were undecided and only saw immigrants and refugees as additional competitors for limited resources.
Last week the discovery of Nazi symbols sprayed outside a Wellington synagogue brought shock and condemnation. But New Zealand is no stranger to antisemitism. In light of increasing ignorance about the Holocaust, we need to revisit and acknowledge our history, writes Scott Hamilton.
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Around the world, candles will be lit to honour the six and a quarter million Jews who died in Europe between 1933, when the Nazis took power in Germany, and 1945, when Hitler shot himself amid the ruins of Berlin. Last year a poll found that 29% of New Zealanders knew little or nothing about the Holocaust. When they were asked whether the Holocaust was a myth, a third of those polled either refused to respond or said they were unsure how to answer. Only 18% of young New Zealanders said they knew much about the Holocaust.
Giacomo Lichtner, an associate professor of history at Victoria University, wrote an op-ed on Stuff to explain why he was unsurprised by the findings of the poll. When he has tried to talk to New Zealanders about the Holocaust, Lichtner has often found Kiwis sceptical about the event’s relevance to their country. What, they wonder, could faraway New Zealand have had to do with the tragedy of the Jews in fascist Europe?
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