Shocking new survey results in Ireland reveal 50% adults unaware of Holocaust

Half of all the adults surveyed in Ireland did not know that six million Jewish people were killed in the Holocaust, while 1 in 12 young adults believed it never happened, according to a new survey commissioned by the Claims Conference. 

In the survey, which polled a sample of 1,000 people, 12% said they had never heard of the Holocaust or were unsure whether they had heard of it. 

In the 18-29 age bracket, almost one in 12 respondents said it was a “myth” and more than a quarter believed fewer than two million Jews were killed. The percentage of respondents who said they had never heard of it – or were unsure whether they had – was higher, at 15%, highlighting the need for more educational efforts, especially among the younger generation.

The survey, conducted by Global Strategy and published by The Irish Times, also provided some hope as the numbers in favor of Holocaust education were encouragingly high.

Some 92% of adults agreed it is important to teach about the Holocaust as a way to prevent future atrocities, and 88% believed the subject should be taught in schools.

“The levels of ignorance are deeply concerning, but the support for Holocaust education is encouraging,” said Claims Conference President Gideon Taylor. 

With the number of living witnesses diminishing and the rise of Holocaust denial across social media, the need for Holocaust education is more urgent than ever.

Nearly half of those polled between the ages of 18-19 said they had encountered Holocaust denial or distortion on social media.

There has been a rapid rise in antisemitism and holocaust denial across social media particularly since Oct. 7, 2023, critical of Israel’s response to the Hamas massacre. As a result of heightened tensions over Israel-related topics, over half of secondary schools in the UK have dropped Holocaust Memorial Day events, compounding the issue of ignorance and distortion.

The Holocaust Education Trust said teachers were “anxious” when teaching about Jewish persecution and worried about “a backlash from parents,” while Karen Pollock, the charity’s chief executive, said many students “arrive in the classroom with views shaped by social media trends rather than evidence.” 

In a statement, Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, condemned the rising antisemitism in Ireland, even noting that it had become part of the education system, saying, “Alarmingly, school textbooks in Ireland which demonise Israel and the Jewish religion have been published and distributed throughout the country for years.”

The Claims Conference said the survey results from Ireland reflect trends seen in other surveys in the United States and across Europe, revealing widespread ignorance and concern that such a genocide could happen again.

“We are at a turning point,” Taylor said. “Soon we will be living in a world without Holocaust survivors, without the voice of a survivor.”

According to the Claims Conference report, “Vanishing Witnesses,” the world will lose 70% of the Holocaust survivors who can testify to what happened within the next ten years, and 90% in the next 15 years, making Holocaust education all the more important.