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Does humanity learn from history? The Holocaust – Three key lessons for humanity

Introduction

· Holocaust taught us the danger of silence and inaction

· It also reinforced the importance of standing up against the power of evil.

· The Holocaust reminded us of the power of evil when left unchecked

I. Holocaust and the importance of fighting evil

· During the Holocaust, many Jews were killed, and others were subjected to inhumane conditions.

· Holocaust was an extreme violation of human rights. It is a lesson on how humans can behave without human rights. (Wolff, N. 2020).

· The declaration of human rights by the UN is to prevent another holocaust. (Polgar, M. 2018).

II. Danger of Silence

· When the Jews were being forced into concentration camps and killed, the entire world remained silent. They did not do anything to help the Jews. ( A Holocaust curriculum (no date) Life Unworthy of Life.)

· Countries chose to remain neutral against both the Nazis and the Jews. Countries like Switzerland closed their borders to the entrance of Jews. The U.S chose not to believe the newspaper reports that Jews were being killed. (A Holocaust curriculum (no date) Life Unworthy of Life.

· The world's silence almost led to the extinction of an entire race. This is a lesson on the danger of silence on the future of the human race.

III Application of the lessons learnt

· Physicians' involvement in the Holocaust shows what could happen when health professionals do not apply ethics in their work. It also teaches the need to maintain skepticism and reason in their medical practice. (Levine, M. A., et al, 2019)

· The tide of evil can only be checked when the students are taught about the mistakes made, even when the students ask difficult questions. (Hahn, C. L. (2020).

· The current generation needs to learn about the Holocaust, its mistakes, and its lessons on human rights.

Conclusion

· The Holocaust was a tragic incident in the history of human beings that taught us very significant lessons, such as the danger of silence, the importance of standing up against evil, and the power of evil.

· This tragic event taught us several key lessons that are important today in the life of human beings and will continue to be passed on from generation to generation .

References

Hahn, C. L. (2020). Human rights teaching: Snapshots from four countries.  Human Rights Education Review,  3(1), 8-30.

Levine, M. A., Wynia, M. K., Himber, M., & Silvers, W. S. (2019). Pertinent Today: What Contemporary Lessons Should be Taught by Studying Physician Participation in the Holocaust?  Conatus-Journal of Philosophy,  4(2), 287-302.

Polgar, M. (2018).  Holocaust and Human Rights Education: Good Choices and Sociological Perspectives. Emerald Group Publishing.

Wolff, N. (2020). Severing a historical bond: The implications of divorcing human rights from Holocaust education.  Holocaust Studies,  26(3), 306-328.

A Holocaust curriculum (no date) Life Unworthy of Life. Available at: https://holocaust.umd.umich.edu/lul/ (Accessed: October 12, 2022).