Half of Irish Adults Unaware Six Million Jews Were Murdered, One in Four Young People Can’t Identify Auschwitz

Half of Irish adults do not know that six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, according to a new survey released by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. The findings underscore significant gaps in Holocaust knowledge even as most respondents say the subject should be taught in schools.

The nationally representative online survey of 1,000 adults in Ireland found that 8% of respondents believe the Holocaust is a myth that did not happen, while 17% said the number of Jews killed has been greatly exaggerated. The poll was released as part of the Claims Conference’s country-by-country series tracking Holocaust awareness and distortion.

Beyond general ignorance, the survey found particularly troubling results among young adults. One in four Irish adults ages 18 to 29 could not name a single Nazi concentration camp or ghetto. Separately, only 60% of Irish adults overall said they were familiar with Auschwitz, the most widely recognized symbol of the Holocaust.

At the same time, a majority of respondents expressed concern that history could repeat itself. The survey found that 64% of Irish adults believe something like the Holocaust could happen again today, rising to 69% among adults ages 18 to 29.

Denial and distortion were most visible online, especially for younger respondents. Half of Irish adults ages 18 to 29 said they had encountered Holocaust denial or distortion on social media, compared with 32% of adults overall. Among young adults, the platforms most frequently cited were TikTok, X, and Instagram. The survey also found that 27% of respondents ages 18 to 29 believe that two million or fewer Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.

In international comparison, the Irish results place the country in the middle range among Western democracies surveyed by the Claims Conference. The share of Irish adults who believe the Holocaust death toll has been exaggerated was higher than in the United States, where 15% held that view, and the United Kingdom, at 11%, but significantly lower than in France, where roughly one-third of adults expressed that belief.

Despite the gaps in knowledge, public support for Holocaust education in Ireland was strikingly high. Nine in ten respondents said the Holocaust should be taught in schools, suggesting a disconnect between educational outcomes and public expectations.

“Half of Irish adults do not know that six million Jews were murdered, one in five doubts the truth of the Holocaust and half of young people are seeing denial online,” said Maurice Cohen, chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland. “Yet almost nine in ten want it taught in schools. This is not a lack of public will. It is a gap in our education system.”

Claims Conference leaders echoed that concern, linking the findings to the rapid decline in the global survivor population. The organization said the number of Jewish Holocaust survivors worldwide has fallen from about 220,000 to 196,600 over the past year, with a median age of 87.

“As the Holocaust moves away from us in time, we must redouble our efforts to educate young minds to whom this legacy will be entrusted,” said Oliver Sears, founder of Holocaust Awareness Ireland. He warned that combating denial and distortion on the internet and social media must be treated as a priority.