Forum Topic

Holocaust Memorial Day

 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.The Holocaust must never be forgotten and should be taught as part of our National Curriculum, in my opinion. 

Sue Hammond ● 104d50 Comments

It has been noted that Palestinians see themselves as the eternal displaced victims Philippa and that is a reason they garner a lot of support in the wider world. Sorry can't link a report.

Lucille Grant ● 95d

Well said Steven.

Lucille Grant ● 95d

Further indication of the intentions of some Palestinians towards the Jews as stated in the Hamas Charter.'Article 22 Makes sweeping claims about Jewish influence and power. It specifically claims that the Jews were responsible for instigating multiple revolutions and wars, including the French Revolution, World War I, and the Russian Revolution. It also claims that Jews control the United Nations, and that they are supported by "the imperialistic forces in the Capitalist West and Communist East"Love the reference to Jewish influence at the UN !Article 28 Conspiracy charges against Israel and the whole of the Jewish people: "Israel, Judaism and Jews". It claims that "Zionist organizations" aim to destroy society through moral corruption and eliminating Islam, and are responsible for drug trafficking and alcoholism'.And there's me thinking that the Taliban in Islamic Afghanistan was one the main sources of illegal drugs in the UK ! From The National Crime Agency - 'The narcotics ban enforced by the Taliban, imposed in April 2022, reduced opium cultivation in Afghanistan to its lowest rate in 20 years. There is currently no reduction in supply of heroin to the UK; however, uncertainty relating to the long-term supply caused an increase in the wholesale heroin price in the UK in 2023'. Hamas and other extremist Palestinians are paranoid and deeply dangerous.

John Hawkes ● 96d

I am not sure about the prisoners and detainees released by Israel. I know that Israel has refused to release many of  those convicted of deadly attacks of terrorism. As to your general point that it is very difficult to eliminate a terrorist group, that is true. But it it not impossible. I have never been impressed by the argument advanced by opponents of the campaign in Gaza that it is impossible to eliminate an ideology. In 1945 the allies defeated Nazism by conquering Germany and arresting the Nazi leadership. The Nazi party, which had hundreds of thousands of members, simply disappeared, leaving just a few diehards who continue to maintain until they died that the Fuehrer was misunderstood. But this only happened because the allies controlled Germany for a few years. If a conquering power withdraws, then, yes, the enemy can regroup and rise again. This is what happened in Afghanistan with the Taliban. That is why the Israelis are reluctant to withdraw completely from Gaza until it is administered by moderate Palestinians. Unfortunately Trump’s latest plan only adds to the confusion.

Steven Rose ● 96d

'Yawn' - Mr BrigoObviously either too tired to come up with a response or is bored with having to read comments that show many Palestinians to be antisemitic terrorists and some (see Mr rose's post post on the Hamas Charter) wishing to see the annihilation of the Jews.Not exactly sure where he stands.As for Trump's latest comments on Gaza, though some are plainly ridiculous and probably made 'to annoy because he knows it teases', would it not benefit all Gazans if he did take it over and set it up as a holiday resort ?It after all has sand, sea and sun and tourism would be a better footing for economic growth than genocide.Would love to see the brave boys of Hamas take off their masks and balaclavas and walk around smiling as they take orders for cocktails from relaxing tourists."Abdul ! A negroni over here please and keep the change".

John Hawkes ● 96d

Hello Steven,What a lovely morning!I am sorry I was not clear enough.  As you say, the Israeli campaign was/is to eliminate the threat of Hamas and to recover hostages.We all know that the elimination of people like Hamas is very difficult as you kill one and create 10 others as a consequence.  We know what has happened with ISIS and the Taliban, do we not?Returning to the Gaza war, on 15 January 2025 an agreement was reached by which Hamas would release 33 out of 98 hostages in the first phase and Israel would free 1000 Palestinian prisoners.  So, can you, hand in heart, tell me that none of those Palestinian prisoners released by Israel are Hamas followers?  Has Israel really succeeded in eliminating Hamas? But now, perhaps, we do not need to worry as Trump is taking over Gaza to convert it into the Riviera of the Middle East  and most Palestinians sent off to Saudi Arabia among other countries.

Ivonne Holliday ● 96d

Hi IvonneI am afraid that I didn't really understand your post. Hamas carried out a ghastly pogrom which they threatened to repeat 'again and again'. The aim of the Israeli campaign is to recover the hostages and eliminate the threat of Hamas. This will hopefully allow tens of thousands of Israelis to return to their homes near the border with Gaza. Why exactly do you consider the war pointless? 

Steven Rose ● 96d

Steven,I will comment on your second paragraph. I have criticized Israel's campaign in Gaza because it has decimated almost all of Gaza, very much in the style of Asaad in Syria, both using the "excuse" of terrorists to destroy everything.  We should not criticize of course, the fact that so many Israeli settlers are so pleased they will be able to build houses near the sea....One question to you Steve as I do not really understand it.  The was a devastating war to fight and defeat terrorism.  There were negotiations to release Israeli hostages.  The last exchange was for 3 Israeli hostages vs 183 Palestinian prisoners.  Can you, hand in heart, say that those Palestinian prisoners are not themselves terrorists?  Was the war, therefore, pointless?

Ivonne Holliday ● 96d

Philippa, I was astonished by your link to a article, entitled 'Always The Victim', advising Jewish people not to see antisemitism everywhere. I found your post presumptuous, cowardly and misplaced. It is presumptuous because it is not your place to give advice, and especially not advice which effectively gaslights Jewish people genuinely concerned about rising levels of antisemitism. It is cowardly because you don't actually express your opinion - you simply post a link to someone else's views. The phrase 'willing to wound but afraid to strike' comes to mind. It is misplaced because none of the contributors to the thread actually attributed antisemitism to anyone but Hamas. If you doubt that Hamas is an antisemitic group, I quote Article 7 of the Hamas Covenant of 1988:'The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews, when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say, O Muslims, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him'.

Steven Rose ● 96d

https://www.jewishedproject.org/news/always-victim

Philippa Bond ● 96d

Yawn.

Michael Brigo ● 96d

Amnesty was once a well respected organisation which defended prisoners of conscience. But it has changed into an overtly political group which supports the Palestinians and is critical of Israel. So I am suspicious of any Amnesty report on the treatment of detainees in Israel. Even the report which you quote, Michael, does not provide evidence of 'torture and death'. It merely accuses Israel of failing to investigate such allegations. Even supposing that there have been cases of harsh treatment, can anyone seriously suggest that the Israeli prison regime is comparable to the treatment of the hostages by Hamas? Have the Israelis arrested toddlers? Have the Israelis paraded prisoners in front of baying mobs? Have the Israelis raped girls?And no, Richard, it is not true that anyone who criticises is considered a supporter of Hamas. Many Israelis are critical of the policies of their own government. What I would say to those who have criticised Israel's campaign in Gaza is that they need to explain what the Israelis should have done differently to eliminate the threat from Hamas.

Steven Rose ● 96d

'Just butt out'."Language Timothy" !As I posted earlier I am sure Israel does not treat with kid gloves the Islamist religious fanatics that it holds prisoner and want to annihilate it and its people.Just as we (did not ?) would not the Germans in WWII. Does your lack of comment 'justifying what Hamas did' mean you condemn it ?

John Hawkes ● 96d

Ms Bond'As was confirmed by a recently released Israeli female soldier working as a lookout they had been reporting on increasing movement on the other side of the border for some time but their warnings it seems were not heeded.'Not sure what point you are making other than perhaps the October attack was being prepared well in advance and the Israel authorities were lax in acting on the report.Just shows the Palestinians always had it in mind to attack Israel and that I am sure Israel won't be caught on the back foot next time.

John Hawkes ● 96d

'Human right are human rights'.Bit facile and does not mean that actions carried out by the opposing factions in this conflict are equivalent and hence the human rights of both have been equally violated..What human rights of both parties would you say been violated ?

John Hawkes ● 96d

'Israeli apologists here'I don't think I am an 'apologist' for Israel.I recognise the reality of their situation.They were invaded by Palestinians who carried out disgusting acts on captured Israelis and still hold many that they have not already killed.Israel retaliated with the aim of destroying their enemy and in doing so I have no doubt, did not treat their captives with kid gloves.Just as I am sure we did not with regard to the Germans in WWII.However most references to 'brutality' by Amnesty seem to be stretching the meaning of the word.No mention of rape or murder were there ?I am also glad Amnesty criticised the actions of last October.You make it sound that this was a difficult decision on their part.Overall, it's really a question of balance of opinion.Some of us see Israelis as victims of aggression fighting back and Palestinians as barbarian invaders.You might see it differently and this influences the tone and content of your comments as my position does mine.

John Hawkes ● 96d

Nobody has denied the Holocaust and the 7 October attack did not start this latest conflict or happen in a vacuum.  As was confirmed by a recently released Israeli female soldier working as a lookout they had been reporting on increasing movement on the other side of the border for some time but their warnings it seems were not heeded.  https://www.jewishedproject.org/news/always-victim

Philippa Bond ● 96d

Human right are human rights.

Michael Brigo ● 96d

Michael you never do a simple response.  These are terrorists who have been captured not hostages.  The title of the thread is Holocaust Day and as pointed out above.  Well done.

Robert Wheeler ● 96d

A moment's look at the Iinternet and any fool can see that Amnesty has, rightly, been relentlessly critical of the October 7th attack. It's the standard response of Israeli apologists here: never mind what the Israelis are doing, look at Hamas, and anyone who criticises Israel's actions is by definition a Hamas supporter anyway.

Richard Carter ● 96d

Yet again we start in one place and end in another.The comment was basically 'Isreal looks after it's prisoners'. A simple search shows you that this is not the case.I made no comment justifying what Hamas did, just a simple response to a previous point that was made, if you can't stick on topic then just butt out.

Michael Brigo ● 96d

Really that is the best you can do to justify this Oct 7 terrorist attack.  Are you now justifying Hamas.  The kidnap and murder of Israeli children while being held hostage in Gaza does not appear in this statement from Amnesty.

Robert Wheeler ● 96d

" As far as I am aware, none of them have been brutalised in prison" https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/11/israel-opt-horrifying-cases-of-torture-and-degrading-treatment-of-palestinian-detainees-amid-spike-in-arbitrary-arrests/

Michael Brigo ● 97d

Israel has undoubtedly detained many Palestinians, some for serious crimes like murder, others on suspicion of terrorism. As far as I am aware, none of them have been brutalised in prison and all òf them can receive visits. There is no equivalence between these detainees and the hostages taken at random by Hamas on October 7, including toddlers. Some of these hostages have been murdered in captivity, others have been assaulted, all have been denied visits by the Red Cross and even those who have now been released have been paraded in front of a threatening mob of masked gunmen. When  will you understand, Philippa, that Hamas are not freedom fighters engaged in a struggle for the rights of Palestinians? They are fanatical terrorists, whose aim, underpinned by their genocidal constitution, is to kill the Jewish population of Israel in order to create an authoritarian Islamic state. They endanger Palestinian civilians by shooting and firing rockets from schools, hospitals and residential areas. They don’t allow civilians to take refuge in their tunnels. Indeed they are happy to see civilians die as martyrs to their cause. In short, they are loathsome fanatics.

Steven Rose ● 97d

'I thought the great point of Holocaust Memorial Day was to remember man's inhumanity to man and never forget it so that it doesn't happen again rather than to constantly perpetuate it'. Wrong.It was inaugurated to acknowledge the genocide of 6,000,000 Jews by the German Nazi Party.All you seem to be able to do is play whataboutary and make reference to a website which at first sight seems to downplay this fact.' an unhealthy culture of forever being a victim is being created and perpetuated'. Who are you to victim shame the Jews in these circumstances ?And your digging back to the British mandate is an attempt again to confuse the current dispute, even to place the blame for the situation that arose on the British.This current dispute follows the fact that last October Palestinian Arabs invaded Israel and killed, raped and kidnapped Jewish children, women and the elderly, many still held captive. 'There was a similar complexity of emotion in Israel over the release of Mr Bibas, whose wife, Shiri, and two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, were also kidnapped during the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas.Hamas claimed that they had been killed by an Israeli air strike early on in the ensuing war - but they were then named in a list of hostages it said in January it was willing to free'. - BBC NewsIt seems to me that people with views and attitudes you display regarding Israel and the Jews cannot tell the  difference between good and evil.

John Hawkes ● 97d

Japanese and Singapore, also a well known Putney resident Ann Bell, was in Tenko.

Barbara Stevens ● 97d

.

Barbara Stevens ● 97d

I thought the great point of Holocaust Memorial Day was to remember man's inhumanity to man and never forget it so that it doesn't happen again rather than to constantly perpetuate it.  Taking and holding prisoners without trial for years is hardly a peaceful way of behaving either nor are all the other ways that the inhabitants of these lands have been restricted in their daily lives. The Balfour Declaration has just been ignored.  You only talk about one lot of hostages but there are many many more  held hostage against their will that you don't mention as if they are of lesser importance and insignificant and an unhealthy culture of forever being a victim is being created and perpetuated. Many people of ALL religions living there want peace.https://chills.substack.com/p/a-jewish-stance-of-eternal-victimhood

Philippa Bond ● 97d

So very sad, then imagine how our people fathers and grandfathers and families were treated in the wars.

Barbara Stevens ● 97d

I hope no one takes the liberty of calling the Palestinian terrorist members of Hamas misogynists.They are quite happy also to molest and torture 80 year old men.From BBC News today."I don't know how he survived', says freed Israeli hostage's niece"'While held hostage by Hamas for 15 months in Gaza, 80-year-old Gadi Moses ate mainly a piece of bread and an olive twice a day, his niece Efrat Machikawa says."I have no idea how he survived," she tells the BBC. "He lost so much weight."He was given a small bowl of water to wash himself every five days and had to ask to use the toilet, she said. He moved frequently and was mostly alone, with Ms Machikawa saying "loneliness is another form of torture".He calculated maths problems in his head to distract himself, and walked up to 11 km (six miles) a day in a room, measuring the distance, she added."Even in the darkest times, he knew how to somehow lift himself," she said. "The hope of reuniting with the family and worrying about us was the greatest power, was the only nutrition that he had for his soul."Gadi was one of 18 hostages released so far this year as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in exchange for 583 Palestinian prisoners'.

John Hawkes ● 98d

Mr Wheeler'The Red Cross must/should guarantee safety for these hostage avoiding this frightening ordeal'. Let's hope they are more effective and maintain a neutral position. Unlike it appears the United Nations to which we contribute millions."Freed Brit hostage Emily Damari tells Keir Starmer she was held at UNRWA facilities and denied medical treatment despite having lost two fingers - as Israeli ban on relief agency comes in to force " - MailOnline (boo, hiss !)'Freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari revealed in a phone call with Keir Starmer today that Hamas terrorists held her in a United Nations aid facility and denied her medical treatment. In an emotional conversation with the PM this morning, the 28-year-old said she had been kept in facilities belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and was not given medical attention, despite having been shot in the hand and leg during the violent kidnapping and losing two fingers. It was also revealed that all that was provided to the hostage over the course of her captivity to treat her wounds was an out-of-date iodine bottle. Emily's revelation about where she was held comes after Israel in October adopted a law banning operations by the UNRWA on Israeli land from January 30 after the country alleged that a number of the agency's staff were involved in Hamas' October 7 attack.The U.N. has said nine UNRWA staff may have been involved and were fired. Emily spent 15 nightmare months in Gaza after she was snatched from her home in southern Israel during Hamas' incursion in the country on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people'. Starmer should now be on the phone to António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations and say that unless he sorts out this part of his organisation, then our standing order stops immediately.When people stop paying his exorbitant salary and vast living costs and those of the numerous other anti-Israel fanatics that predominate in this organisation, they might act responsibly.

John Hawkes ● 100d

I was totally appalled by these sickening scenes of this poor Israeli young girl being jostled and paraded while being abused by a mob of male animals.  I can’t call them human beings.  The Red Cross must/should guarantee safety for these hostage avoiding this frightening ordeal.  They couldn’t or wouldn’t do it while held captive they must do it while being released.

Robert Wheeler ● 100d

Brave Palestinian men vs Terrified Israeli women.What disgusting behaviour and what a reflection on the behaviour of Arab so called 'freedom fighters."Why are ‘anti-racists’ silent about Arbel Yehud’s terrible ordeal"?https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-are-the-anti-racists-silent-about-arbel-yehuds-terrible-ordeal/'Watching Arbel Yehud being freed in Gaza today, I thought to myself: this is what it must have been like at Salem. Here we had a diminutive woman being paraded through a baying mob of hollering men. They barked religious slogans at her. They shoved and jostled to get a better view of the marked woman. They thrust their mobile phones in her face to capture her terror for posterity. They’ll no doubt share the clips. ‘Look! See how scared she was!’Mercifully, Ms Yehud was being marched, not to the gallows, but to liberty. She was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led pogrom of 7 October 2023. She was held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad for 482 days. Her partner Ariel Cunio, seized alongside her, remains in captivity. Arbel, though, following tense talks between Israel and her jihadist captors, has at last been spirited back to her homeland.Yet even as we celebrate the freeing of this 29-year-old woman, we cannot overlook today’s diabolical scenes. It was a positively medieval spectacle. Ms Yehud was displayed like a war trophy, forced to walk through a crowd of fuming men roaring ‘Allahu Akbar!’ at her. The Jew-hating militants of Hamas, in their green bandanas, towered over her. Her pale face was etched with fear.It seems Hamas and its allies are hell-bent on taunting their hostages to the very last. This was not just a ‘handover’ of an Israeli captive. It was a kind of ritualistic humiliation. A Jew was hauled to a public square packed with men who hate her kind. She was made into a spectacle for the sport of radical Islamists. Not content with stealing her liberty for 16 months, they scorned her as she left. It was an outrage from another century'.Whose side are some of the Forum posters on ?However one piece of good news reported on the BBC."Hamas confirms death of military chief Deif".https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g9p33xd2go'Hamas has confirmed that its military chief, Mohammed Deif, has been killed.Israel's military said it had killed Deif in July last year, but Hamas had not confirmed this until now.Israel says Deif was one of the figures responsible for planning the 7 October attacks in southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.Deif was widely seen as the second-ranking Hamas official in Gaza, behind Yahya Sinwar, the group's leader in the territory, who was also killed by Israeli forces last year'.When will these terrorists realise that when it comes to Israel and the IDF 'you can run but you can't hide'.

John Hawkes ● 100d

From the Spectator today.https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-dejudification-of-the-holocaust/"The ‘dejudification’ of the Holocaust"'Imagine talking about the transatlantic slave trade and not saying the word African. Or discussing the genocidal slaughter in Rwanda without saying ‘the Tutsis;. It would be unthinkable, right? Impossible, in fact. How could you talk about such grave crimes without mentioning the victims, without making at least a passing reference to those whose liberty and lives were ravaged in the barbarism?I worry that we are only half-remembering the HolocaustWell, quite a few people managed it yesterday. They talked about the Holocaust without naming its victims'.Antisemitism perhaps ?

John Hawkes ● 102d

Andy. I agree, growing up in the 1950s & 60s WWII and its aftermath was still very fresh in people's minds - lots of parking spaces and playgrounds on bomb sites in London to name a couple. I learned about the Holocaust from family and friends. My father having fought against and been a PoW in Germany was always an admirer of how Israel had been developed post war following the Holocaust.

Michael Ixer ● 103d

Mr Ixer'As time passes it is important that youngsters of today and the future are reminded of the dreadful events of the 40s'.As I posted earlier, I doubt this will happen.The current British anti-Jewish (semitic ?) zeitgeist is subsuming any knowledge of the holocaust within the overwhelming support now given to Palestinians and Islamism. And media outlets are playing their part in this."Good Morning Britain host Ranvir Singh apologises after she faced furious backlash for failing to mention Jews as being victims of the Holocaust".'Campaigners have criticised Good Morning Britain host Ranvir Singh for failing to mention Jews as victims of the Holocaust'.The presenter, 47, said: 'Six million people were killed in concentration camps during the Second World War, as well as millions of others because they were Polish, disabled, gay or belonged to another ethnic group.' (Reported by MailOnline - boo, hiss !)But not Jewish !Ignorance on her part or a conspiracy to belittle the Jewish genocide by those of a racial and ethnic group who themselves are always banging on about how they are discriminated against ?Ranvir SINGH."Does exactly what it says on the tin"

John Hawkes ● 103d

I suspect the reason we were not taught about the holocaust in school during thev60s was that it was so, relatively, recent we all new people who had experienced it or had testified in the war crimes trials.I remember a friend at school ( late 1960s) whose mother came to a summer sports day in a short sleeved blouse with her tattooed number clearly visible.With young enquiring minds asking so many questions on that day she was invited to talk to the whole school at a later date. I can remember her words to this day.As time passes it is important that youngsters of today and the future are reminded of the dreadful events of the 40s.

Andy Pike ● 104d

It will be forgotten I am afraid as society and especially its more ignorant students and younger members, is now swept up in faux sympathy for the Palestinian cause and Islamism will spread and spread in the UK.Even Angela Raynor Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government forgets to mention the Jews specifically in her Memorial Day social media posting.'Tonight, I'm lighting a candle to remember all those who were murdered just for being who they were, and to stand against prejudice and hatred today. Never again. #LightThe Darkness #HMD2025.' I wonder why ?Who else does she have in mind ?Thick or counting the potential Islamist voters ?To so many, six million killed by industrialised murder in an attempt at destroying a complete race - genocide - is  considered minor compared to the claimed hardship and indignities experienced by the Palestinians.Antisemitism is apparently more and more prevalent on the streets of London.Either people just don't get the significance of what happened or don't care.And the basis of not caring is antisemitism which in its extreme form is described in the Palestinian Hamas Charter calling for Arabs to eliminate all Jews.

John Hawkes ● 104d

I too can’t remember being taught about the Holocaust at grammar school in the sixties, though I was very aware of it through my family, all four of my grandparents having been murdered. Holocaust education in Germany must be  difficult since children there are not just learning about a historical event but about a terrible crime in which their great-grandparents may have been complicit. In these circumstances education can be counter-productive. Rather than inducing a sentiment of ‘never again’ among the children, it may cause resentment in that they are being burdened with guilt for a crime for which they are not responsible.

Steven Rose ● 104d

I don’t remember being taught about the Holocaust when I was at my grammar school back in the 1960s. However, when I lived in Germany for six years in the 1980s it was a very current theme.  There were, to the Germans' credit, numerous programmes on TV and radio about it, including very moving interviews with survivors. I visited Bergen-Belsen back then and, like nearly anyone who has visited one of these death camps, found it almost overwhelmingly sad and painful. It is so important that the memory of these terrible events is kept alive and I am glad it is taught in schools today. I must say I travel round London quite frequently, both on weekends and during the week, and I have never come across one of these pro-Palestinian marches or found myself in a crowd of people heading to one, so I can’t comment on how non-participants might feel. The only such event I bumped into was on Princes Street in Edinburgh and that did not feel in the least bit threatening. However I know the fears that many Jewish people in this country now have.  At the very least improved policing around these demonstrations ought to help allay such fears.  But it has to be in our schools where tolerance of other faiths, other people, other traditions, is emphasised.  It's a huge task in today's polarised world but where else do you  start trying to push back the tide?

Jonathan Callaway ● 104d

Unfortunately the hatred of religion still goes on today sometimes in plain sight.

Robert Wheeler ● 104d

We have just come back from a very moving talk on the Holocaust in Bohemia and Moravia: unimaginable suffering and endurence.The Holocaust is part of the National Curriculum and also on the GCSE history syllabus and in RE.I have been to Auschwitz: hauntingly terrible. Michael, you said that the girls in your sons school all cried; I think we all need to cry.

Jane Carter ● 104d

Yes it was Sachsenhausen that he went to. I spoke to him immediately afterwards and he was extremely sombre (not his usual state at all) - he also told me that all the girls in his class were crying.I was taught about it in school also but I don't remember the opportunity to go on a trip. Possible my parents couldn't afford it though

Michael Brigo ● 104d

Martine no Jewish friend or member of my family goes into Central London on a Saturday any longer other than those who belong to a synagogue in the West End to attend Shabbat services. Central London has become a no go area for most of us now. Who would have thought that this would ever come to pass when Jews have lived here for centuries, assimilating alongside all other religions. A personal thanks to those of you who are posting on this thread, especially Sue for starting it. I have been warmed by messages today from non Jewish friends so I still have faith that most people are good. It's been pretty difficult to feel that British and Irish Jews have support these days.

Lucille Grant ● 104d

My daughter tells me they have been taught about the Holocaust in Year 9 at Secondary. My husband and I visited Dachau in Bavaria in 1984 and it was an incredibly moving experience.  As was the Holocaust Exhibition at the Imperial War Museum. I am sorry and ashamed, Robert, that it is dangerous for you to travel into Central London.

Martine Guy ● 104d

Michael the camp nearest Berlin that I visited was Sachsenhausen. What were his feelings having visited?

Lucille Grant ● 104d

The holocaust is taught in history in UK state schools however hatred towards a religion is never addressed in schools or universities.  I have family who live in the West End which l have mentioned previously and have been unable to safely visit them on public transport at weekends due to Palestinian marches due to obscenities yelled by march participants on buses and tubes.  It’s the silent majority that allow this to continue.  Auschwitz was a death camp.

Robert Wheeler ● 104d

It wasn't when I was at school but I left when I was 15 (long time ago) so it may have been taught in the higher years.

Sue Hammond ● 104d

Are you sure it's not taught in history? My son had a school trip last year to Berlin and that included a visit to a concentration camp.

Michael Brigo ● 104d

Agree, how can it be forgotten. Should teach in school.

Barbara Stevens ● 104d