Chapter 11: Holocaust Education

The Nazi-perpetrated genocide of the Jews, Sinti and Roma (Gypsies), and mentally and physically handicapped (i.e., the Holocaust, 1933–1945) is the most widely studied human rights issue/genocide in U.S. schools. That is due to various factors: (1) the Holocaust was a cataclysmic event that shocked the international community; (2) the genocide was committed by a government of a nation of people noted for its rich and sophisticated culture; (3) the Holocaust was carried out in the mid-20th century in the heart of Europe, which was considered a bastion of civilization; (4) the Holocaust is one of the most well documented historical events in the history of humanity; (5) U.S. troops were involved in liberating the concentration and death camps; (7) numerous survivors of the Holocaust emigrated to the United States; and (8) the survivors and their compatriots have put a great deal of effort into encouraging the world community, including teachers and students in U.S. schools, to examine the fact of the Holocaust.