The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany released a survey Thursday measuring Holocaust awareness in eight countries: the U.S., UK, France, Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary and Romania. The findings reveal a concerning global trend: declining knowledge of basic Holocaust facts, particularly among young adults.
In France, 46% of respondents aged 18-29 said they had not heard or were unsure if they had heard, about the Holocaust — the highest rate among surveyed countries. Similar rates were found in Romania (15%), Austria (14%) and Germany (12%).
A majority of respondents across the countries did not know six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. At least 20% in seven countries believed the number to be two million or fewer, with Romania (28%), Hungary (27%), and Poland (24%) leading these misconceptions. In Poland, nearly three million Holocaust victims were Polish Jews.
In all surveyed countries, a significant portion of the population does not believe six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. Respondents who disagreed that the Holocaust occurred or that the number of Jewish victims was accurately portrayed include 25% in France and Austria, 24% in Germany, 23% in Poland and Romania, 19% in Hungary, 17% in the UK and 16% in the U.S.
A significant proportion of respondents doubted the accuracy of the Holocaust's portrayal, with skepticism highest in France (25%), Austria (25%), Germany (24%) and Poland (23%). Many respondents also expressed fear that a Holocaust-like event could happen again, with the U.S. showing the highest concern (76%), followed by the UK (69%) and France (63%).
When asked to name a Nazi-established concentration camp or ghetto, 26% of respondents could not do so. In the U.S., this figure reached 48%. Auschwitz-Birkenau, marking its 80th anniversary of liberation, was the most recognized site.
Holocaust denial and distortion were also prevalent in the survey. In Hungary, 45% reported encountering Holocaust denial, followed by 44% in the U.S. and 38% in France. Distortion was reported by 49% in the U.S., 47% in Hungary, 44% in France and 44% in Germany.
Claims Conference President Gideon Taylor said, "The alarming gaps in Holocaust knowledge, particularly among younger generations, underscore the urgent need for more effective education. It's deeply concerning that so many adults lack basic facts, such as the six million Jews murdered. Equally troubling is the widespread belief that a genocide like the Holocaust could happen again."
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Yad Vashem Chair Dani Dayan added, "The survey's findings, particularly in countries where Nazi atrocities occurred, are troubling. However, the willingness to increase Holocaust education is encouraging. Yad Vashem is committed to expanding collaboration with governments and organizations to engage new audiences, especially the younger generation."
Claims Conference Vice President in Israel Tziona Koenig-Yair stressed, "As Israelis deeply connected to Holocaust remembrance, it's alarming to see young people worldwide increasingly unaware of its events and implications. This highlights the critical need to invest in Holocaust education and ensure such atrocities are never repeated."