To what extent do the tragedies that happened in Auschwitz provide a key to understanding contemporary reality?
Dr. Wells stated that, “it is fundamental to incorporate what happened at Auschwitz into genocide studies,” as the term ‘genocide’ was created by Rafael Lemkin because of the Holocaust. She added that people must understand the legal definitions of words like ‘genocide’ and ‘crimes against humanity’, so that they do not become overused or used inappropriately.
Professor Michman also commented on the importance of language regarding the phrase ‘Auschwitz and the Holocaust’. He noted the emergence of Auschwitz as “a symbol of the Holocaust,” whilst events such as the Einsatzgruppen killings are largely forgotten. Furthermore, he stated that, because of Lemkin’s definition of genocide, the focus is always on mass murder or the attempt to erase nations or groups; but “the essence of the Holocaust was not that it was the Nazi attempt to erase all the Jews.” According to Michman, the Holocaust “was the attempt to erase ‘the Jewish spirit’, and the equality of humankind.” Thus, if the message that the Holocaust was a battle against human equality, and not only about murder, is conveyed, it can serve in education as an example for understanding contemporary society.
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