The Holocaust and the School Curriculum

A few days ago I received the following chain email. Can anyone confirm that the Holocaust has actually been removed from the UK school curriculum, please, or throw any light on the sentiments expressed in this email?

"It is a matter of history that when Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower, found victims of the death camps, he ordered all possible photograps to be taken, and for the German people from surrounding villages to be ushered through the camps and even made to bury the dead. He did this because he said, in words to this effect, 'Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses - because somewhere down the track of history some b*stard will get up and say that this never happened.'

"'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.' (Edmund Burke)

"This week, the UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offended' the Muslim population which claims it never occurred. This is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving in to it.

"Six million Jews,20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated, with the German and Russian peoples looking the other way. Now, more than ever, with Iran, amongst others, claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth', it is imperative to make sure that the world never forgets."


For myself, I am glad that forgiveness and reconciliation has taken place over the years since the War so that we now have good relationships with the German people, but it should be possible to keep the Holocaust on the school curriculum, teaching about it in the light of this forgiveness and recnciliation, as a dreadful warning of what can happen - and did happen - when national, racial and inter-faith passions are so aroused that they get completely out of hand.