A group of eight Holocaust survivors drew parallels between the current political climate and that of Germany in the 1930s. Some of them condemned the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD).

Eight Holocaust survivors have urged young people to shun far-right parties and vote to protect democracy at the upcoming European Union elections.

“For millions of you, the European elections are the first election in your lives. For many of us, it could be the last,” read the open letter, unveiled in Berlin on Tuesday.

“We couldn’t stop it back then. But you can today,” the eight authors wrote.

  • Jeena
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    25 months ago

    The persons great grandfather died in Auschwitz because he was fighting for a independent Silesia.

    But yeah, …

    • Flying SquidM
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      115 months ago

      Cool. Half my family died in the Holocaust. I still don’t associate it with 2024 Israel like Netanyahu wants.

      • Jeena
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        -25 months ago

        Are you saying German holocaust survivers should only protest German fashists and not Israeli fashists because if they do then they associate the Holocaust with Israel and thus help Netanjahu with it?

        I have a hard time understanding your position.

        • Flying SquidM
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          105 months ago

          Why exactly would Israelis care what they had to say? Unless the answer is “because they’re Jews and the Holocaust is a Jewish thing,” I can’t think of a reason.

          • @[email protected]
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            5 months ago

            I mean this is still about the EU-elections and not Germany specific. The far right is a huge problem in all of Europe and some of the worst already dictator like fascists like Orban not only seek to actively undermine the EU wherever they can, but they’re also best buddies with Israeli politicians.

            I think it’s important to remember as you said that the holocaust wasn’t only about Jews and that Zionism doesn’t equate Judaism, but to draw a connection between fascists in Europe and fascists in Israel who happen to commit genocide right now doesn’t seem so far fetched in general.

          • @nyctre
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            25 months ago

            For the same reason young Germans should care. For the same reason everyone should care. Because fascism is bad and everyone should listen to these people and vote against it. Op simply pointed out that there’s a pretty fascistic government in power right now in Israel and hopefully the youth(and everyone else for that matter) will take some inspiration and vote against it.

            At least that’s what I take from that.

            • Flying SquidM
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              15 months ago

              We’re not talking about “should,” are we?

              • @nyctre
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                25 months ago

                My bad. You’re right. Then yeah, no, they wouldn’t. Cause the message won’t reach the most of them. They would care if they understood that these people are survivors of a different fascist government. They’re what Palestinians might be 80 years from now. It’s history. Except they can learn it from living people instead of books.

                • Flying SquidM
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                  15 months ago

                  I agree. Also, if I were an Israeli who agreed with the genocide (I’m not and I absolutely don’t) and German Holocaust survivors came to me to tell me that they survived a genocide and they know how bad genocide is and this is a genocide and it needs to stop, I would probably think that this is a different situation and they don’t know because they don’t live here. It’s pretty easy to dismiss something like this if you’re determined to go ahead with an atrocity.

                  • @nyctre
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                    25 months ago

                    Of course. But the more people(and different people too, not just journalists and politicians) tell them, the more likely it is for the message to finally go through

          • @[email protected]
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            5 months ago

            Oh there’s a simple reason why Israelis should care: Because sliding into fascism is a calamity for everyone, yes, also for the perpetrating people. Maybe that’s what all this is about, they want to understand that through personal experience. Ride the death drive for a while.

          • Jeena
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            15 months ago

            My thinking was in the lines why they are doing in Germany too. They say look what the fashists did, never again! Same message would make sense in today’s Israel too.