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Should memorial sites use social networks?

Auschwitz, the former Nazi death camp, has launched a page on Facebook. Is it an appropriate move?

An Auschwitz official said the move was aimed at reaching the younger generation and educating them about the Holocaust. It follows the launch by Auschwitz, now a state museum, of a YouTube channel earlier this year.

More than a million people, 90% of them Jews, were murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz during World War II.

Auschwitz Museum official Pawel Sawicki said "We want it to be a place of discourse but of course we won't let anyone do anything that may abuse the memory of the victims and this place."

Do you think Auschwitz and other memorial sites should use social networks? Is this a good way to reach wider audiences and keep history alive? Should other museums and memorial sites follow this example?

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Published: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 11:35 GMT 12:35 UK

All comments in recommendation order

Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:34 GMT 13:34 UK

We must treat the Concentration Camps with grreat tenderness and respect.

As long as it is done in the spirit of loving and sorrow for what happened, I do not see a problem .

[Cosoblat]

Recommended by 89 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 16:15 GMT 17:15 UK

What does ‘facebook’ mean for? Is it for people who are alive, business concerns or the deceased? Day by day facebook is losing its value. Facebook should be for individuals who are alive and not for business concerns or memorial sites. I don’t think that memorial sites would generate more traffic for facebook. Rather people would prefer to go off by deleting their personal pages from this very website. Probably in near future, terrorists would also be using facebook to publicize their demands.

Syed A Mateen, Karachi, Pakistan

Recommended by 85 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:12 GMT 13:12 UK

I've been horrified by the number of people young (and not so young) who have very little awareness of what Auschwitz actually was, and what went on there.

Facebook is almost certainly a foolproof way to reach the younger generation, and it's a subject that it wouldn't hurt them to be educated on. We can only hope people use the site in the manner intended though, and it doesn't end up being abused by some of the less desireable elements in our society!

[Fenella69], Newcastle, United Kingdom

Recommended by 58 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:37 GMT 13:37 UK

Auschwitz and the others must NEVER be forgotten.
The horrors must be re-visited for two good reasons:

1)
Respect for all who suffered

2)
To ensure that no racist intolerance ever gets out of hand again.

Ellie McCartney

Recommended by 52 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:34 GMT 13:34 UK

I think this is a great idea. It is so important that people who have no direct memory of what happened at places like Auschwitz are made aware of all the horrors that took place. If a Facebook page helps that message to be wider known, then I'm all for it.

[DisgustedOfMitcham2], London, United Kingdom

Recommended by 48 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:04 GMT 13:04 UK

Should memorial sites use social networks?

I don't konw how many 'hits' they'll get, but its certainly not inapropriate.

In an age where Stalin's official history is being rewritten in Russia and world leaders like ahmejinedad still denies that the holocaust actually happened, it certainly can't hurt the battle for truth.

On the other hand, having seen first hand what neo-nazis did to the anne frank memorial in holland I hope they're ready for the inevitable abuse from the far right..

Richard Hill, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Recommended by 46 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:11 GMT 13:11 UK

It can`t hurt to do this. Many youngsters are not even taught about the Holocaust in school, which is so sad and so wrong.

Harry Houdini

Recommended by 44 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:08 GMT 13:08 UK

Its not a bad idea,

But i doubt ant website could ever convey a fraction of the horror of actually visiting Auchwitz and seeing a the tiniest fraction of a glimpse of what life & death for the Nazis victims was actually like.

Lest we forget.

Darkseid Jones

Recommended by 38 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:07 GMT 13:07 UK

If it helps the younger generation learn about what happened then it's a good thing.

Colin, Enfield

Recommended by 38 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 20:28 GMT 21:28 UK

In response to-Gary, Windsor Locks Ct. (USA)

Valkyrie woody, Burton on Trent, U K wrote:

"These people have been shown the proof many many times before, they simply choose not to see it. How anyone could deny the evidence is beyond me."

And Syed A Mateen, Karachi, Pakistan wrote:

"Rather people would prefer to go off by deleting their personal pages from this very website. Probably in near future, terrorists would also be using facebook to publicize their demands."

Is deny=delete?

Just A Comment, Here & There and Now & Then

Recommended by 37 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:21 GMT 13:21 UK

It if makes people aware of what happened then surely it can only be a good thing.

When I visited there in the early 90s I saw a lot of school children there and a lot of them were extremely distressed by it and there were a lot of them sitting outside the various building crying their eyes out.

Steve Atty, Cheltenham, United Kingdom

Recommended by 36 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:16 GMT 13:16 UK

We absolutely have to reinforce the memory of this dark period in our modern history to ensure that it we never make those same mistakes and evil acts again.

There are people who openly claim the extermination camps never existed. With that sort of lunacy, we must raise awareness through whatever means possible.

Stephen McCann, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Recommended by 32 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:12 GMT 13:12 UK

It's an interesting idea. I don't know whether or not it's appropriate, that's not really for me to decide, but if it educates people about the true horrors of the Holocaust, the laws, the discrimination, the forced labour, the systematic mass murders gas chambers and so on, it can only be a good thing. I suspect though that there will be a lot of racists, Holocaust-deniers and other people with warped perspectives and views on history that would try to abuse it in whatever way possible.

[Martin1983], London, United Kingdom

Recommended by 31 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:26 GMT 13:26 UK

Any means of passing down through the generations knowledge of the full horror of what happens when facists and racists gain power is welcome.

[frankln], Erehwon

Recommended by 29 people

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Added: Thursday, 15 October, 2009, 12:06 GMT 13:06 UK

Our cosseted youngsters of today should all be made aware of the horrors of Auscwitz and mans inhumanity to man and what better way of doing it than through social networks.It might throw a different perspective of thevalue of life and living for youngsters today.

Alan Glenister, Bushey, United Kingdom

Recommended by 28 people

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