An exhibition is set to tour Britain, examining what the country knew about the Holocaust as it happened. Drawing on extensive research, the exhibition highlights that information about the atrocities was widely available in Britain by 1942, challenging the notion that awareness only came at the war's end. The project is a precursor to a permanent national memorial and learning center planned for London.
The exhibition challenges historical perceptions of Britain's awareness of the Holocaust, suggesting that information about the atrocities was more widely disseminated and understood during the war than commonly believed, prompting a re-evaluation of public and governmental responses.
A new exhibition is set to delve into the complex and unsettling story of Britain's awareness of the Holocaust during World War II, challenging the common perception that the nation only learned of the atrocities at the war's conclusion. The exhibition, which has been viewed by MPs, draws upon a wide range of sources including newspaper reports, broadcasts, academic research, witness testimonies, and government archives.
According to Martin Winstone, senior historical adviser to the Holocaust Educational Trust, information about the Holocaust was pervasive in Britain by 1942, the year in which the majority of victims were murdered. He noted that the Manchester Guardian, in particular, took a crusading stance, reporting extensively on the events and calling for greater action from the British and allied governments. The newspaper, which had been banned from Germany in 1933 for highlighting Adolf Hitler's antisemitism, also lobbied for the easing of immigration restrictions for Jews and for special rescue measures.
Much of the detailed information, including the locations of death camps, was reportedly smuggled out of Poland by couriers to the Polish government-in-exile in London. Winstone acknowledged the challenging circumstances Britain faced during the war, with the government's primary response being that victory in the war was the way to stop the atrocities. However, critics argued that waiting for victory would mean there would be no one left to save.
Government reports commissioned during the war on antisemitism in Britain revealed a complex public opinion. While there was widespread sympathy for Jews in occupied Europe, this coexisted with anti-migration and antisemitic sentiments. Ministry of Information bulletins indicated that some segments of the British public harbored negative views, accusing Jews of running the black market, avoiding military service, and spreading panic. This discourse persisted even as mass murder began, with a significant body of opinion in the 1930s opposing the admission of refugees. However, following the Kristallnacht pogrom in 1938, Britain did relax some restrictions, allowing Jewish children to enter the country without visas, with support from local Jewish communities and Quakers.
Humanitarian efforts were spearheaded by figures like independent MP Eleanor Rathbone, as well as grassroots fundraisers and women who interned alongside Jews in France. A 2021 survey by Claims Conference indicated that 21% of the British public were aware of the UK government's knowledge of the mass murder of Jews as early as 1941.
The exhibition is a preview of a more extensive display planned for the permanent UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in London. The project is co-chaired by broadcaster Ed Balls and Tory peer Eric Pickles. The exhibition is scheduled to tour various locations across the UK, including the Northern Ireland assembly, the Scottish parliament, and Cardiff, before potentially visiting Manchester. The UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre at Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster, is awaiting a confirmed opening date as its planning application is being redetermined.
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