How can we protect the truth about the Holocaust in an era of disinformation, oversimplified narratives, and increasingly frequent attempts to instrumentalize history? This was the central question we sought to address during the conference “Distorting History: Preserving the Truth about the Holocaust in Times of Growing Disinformation – An International Perspective”, organized by the Czulent Jewish Association.

The event focused on contemporary forms of Holocaust denial and distortion, as well as on the ways in which the history of the Holocaust is being reinterpreted and used in public discourse. The discussions explored the educational, social, and political dimensions of this phenomenon, demonstrating that combating historical disinformation has become one of the key challenges facing contemporary Europe.

One of the important topics addressed during the conference was intergenerational memory and the experiences of the second and third generations of Holocaust survivors in the face of contemporary attempts to reinterpret the history of the Shoah. Participants also discussed how the history of the Jewish community is presented in school education and how educational narratives influence perceptions of Jews, minorities, and contemporary antisemitism.

The international character of the conference made it possible to examine the issue from the perspective of various European countries. The debates compared the experiences of Poland, Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic, highlighting common challenges related to combating Holocaust denial, hate speech, and historical disinformation. It was emphasized that an effective response to these threats requires cooperation between experts, public institutions, civil society organizations, and the education sector.

The event was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The conference took place on December 16, 2024, at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.