When and Why Did Auschwitz Become the Symbol of the Holocaust

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When and why did Auschwitz become the symbol of the Holocaust? Auschwitz became the site of Nazi Germany’s largest camp complex and extermination centre for European Jews and has represented the brutality of the National Socialist regime and its war crimes against humanity. Since its liberation in January 1945 by the Red army, it has undeniably become a symbol of the Holocaust. However, ‘the symbolic value of Auschwitz has not been a fixed sum, but has remained in flux and open to interpretation’, therefore the theses surrounding its symbolism must be discussed. Auschwitz has been labelled the ‘largest cemetery in the history of humanity’ and this essay will seek to explore why and when it became the predominant attribute of Holocaust History. In order to make a clarified assessment of this, this essay will examine scholarly documents on Auschwitz itself, Holocaust historiography and also the media representation of Auschwitz. It is considered among many scholars, that in truth, Auschwitz has become the main symbol of the Holocaust, yet there is certainly debate and controversy surrounding the topic, particularly the ‘danger of the binary division of Auschwitz into a “Polish Auschwitz” and a “Jewish Auschwitz”’ which has been a focal point in Auschwitz historiography. This will take into account the argument which has emerged encompassing Auschwitz as the symbol of the Holocaust. Due to the size and the death toll, ‘Auschwitz became the very capital of the Holocaust’, and during the Second World War, the first concentration camp to be liberated by British troops was Bergen-Belsen and ‘through the reporting of Richard Dimbleby became known in Britain as a symbol of Nazi Brutality’. As Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army, it can be argued that the West was unaware of the atrocities which took place there until many years postliminary to its liberation as Tony
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