Britain knew about the Holocaust as it happened. A new exhibition reckons with that truth
A new exhibition at the Wiener Holocaust Library explores how much the British public knew about the Holocaust while it was occurring. The research highlights that information was widely available in newspapers and broadcasts as early as 1942, challenging the belief that the truth only emerged after the war.
Why it matters
It corrects historical misconceptions regarding public awareness of atrocities and informs the design of the upcoming national Holocaust Memorial in London.
Children who survived the Holocaust stand behind barbed wire after liberation from Auschwitz-Birkenau. Photograph: Wiener Holocaust Library Collections Children who survived the Holocaust stand behind barbed wire after liberation from Auschwitz-Birkenau. Photograph: Wiener Holocaust Library Collections Holocaust Britain knew about the Holocaust as it happened. A new exhibition reckons with that truth Research draws upon reporting and witness testimony, while a permanent memorial is planned for London
Prefer the Guardian on Google The “complex and unsettling” story of what Britain knew during the Holocaust is being explored amid plans to create a new permanent national memorial.
An exhibition highlighting how news of the atrocity reached Britain much earlier than is commonly understood will tour the country after being viewed privately by MPs at Portcullis House on the parliamentary estate at Westminster in September.
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