The hottest Holocaust Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top History Topics

'We must get through this!'

Wrong Side of History • 360 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
💾 History Holocaust
  1. The Allied night raids on Dresden created a massive firestorm that killed thousands, with many people suffocating in cellars after following official sheltering advice.
  2. A second wave shifted targets into residential outskirts and public gathering places, destroying hospitals, cultural sites, and shelters and causing huge numbers of refugee and homeless casualties.
  3. Survival often came down to small acts or chance—choosing to leave a cellar, what shoes you wore, or help from neighbors—and the city’s aftermath involved mass cremations and forced cleanup that provoked lasting moral controversy.

I Was Elie Wiesel’s German Doctor

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 973 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Holocaust
  1. Growing up in East Germany, visits to the nearby Sachsenhausen concentration camp left a lasting, shameful impression that was seldom talked about.
  2. Later life changes took a German-born doctor to America, where he became the physician for Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.
  3. Wiesel treated him not as a symbol of history or nationality but simply as a fellow human being, showing compassion that transcended past divisions.

How Holocaust Denial Became Mainstream

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 862 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
💾 History Holocaust
  1. As firsthand memory of the Holocaust fades, its meaning is increasingly contested and denial or distortion is spreading.
  2. The language used to fight racism and antisemitism has become formulaic and often empty, so it no longer effectively counters hatred and needs updating.
  3. The Holocaust underpins modern ideas like crimes against humanity and the postwar order, but those achievements are now threatened by historical distortion and revived antisemitic lies.

Reinhard Heydrich

Pizza Party • 28 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26
💾 History Holocaust
  1. Reinhard Heydrich was one of the most brutal Nazi leaders and a key architect of the Holocaust.
  2. He planned and directly oversaw Operation Salon Kitty, the takeover of a brothel used for espionage and control.
  3. These events are dramatized in a graphic novel called Kitty's Bordello, featuring art by Abel García, and the post invites readers to subscribe for more.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Points And Figures • 639 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
💾 History Holocaust
  1. The liberation of Auschwitz and survivors' testimonies are haunting but uplifting, and preserving their stories is vital so future generations can learn what happened.
  2. Antisemitism is rising and becoming normalized, so saying "never again" is not enough — we must take real, active steps to stop it.
  3. Survivors' lives and contributions show how much was lost in the Holocaust, and honoring their memory means staying vigilant and remembering every day.
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This is what Trump's favorite dictator did to the "vermin" who were "poisoning the blood" of his country

Lucian Truscott Newsletter • 4461 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Holocaust
  1. During World War II, British soldiers liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp where tens of thousands of Jews were found dead or dying.
  2. Photographs show the aftermath of the camp's liberation, including emaciated survivors being treated and bodies being buried in mass graves.
  3. The historical atrocities of Nazi concentration camps serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of hateful ideologies and propaganda.

Chartbook 387: What fires burned at Auschwitz? On the place of the Holocaust in uneven and combined development.

Chartbook • 3390 implied HN points • 23 May 25
💾 History Holocaust
  1. The Holocaust involved complex logistics, like using trains to transport many people to death camps. Understanding these details can help us better grasp the scale and organization of these horrific events.
  2. Many comparisons have been drawn between the Holocaust and modern industrial processes, but the reality was much different. The methods used were often crude and poorly managed, far from what we typically associate with industrial efficiency.
  3. The Holocaust wasn't just about technological advancement; it showed a dark side of modernity. It was a combination of ordinary modern elements used in a horrifying way, highlighting the contradictions in how society evolves.

The Dead Admonish Us

Unpopular Front • 46 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
💾 History Holocaust
  1. A relative joined an anti‑Nazi resistance, was arrested and deported to Auschwitz, and his death stands as a form of martyrdom that demands remembrance.
  2. The phrase "The Dead Admonish" connects political memorial traditions to the moral duty to remember and learn from the past.
  3. Returning to the city and visiting the Jewish cemetery on Yom Kippur felt uncanny, like walking among ghosts, and that loneliness echoed the idea that the Day of Atonement brings a profound solitude that can also feel intimately spiritual.

My Sunday With The Amber-Eyed Hare

Daily Dreher • 1454 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
💾 History Holocaust
  1. The story reflects on the rise and fall of a Jewish banking family through generational possessions and the impact of war
  2. The deep-rooted anti-Semitism in European society is highlighted through historical artifacts and experiences
  3. The narration urges vigilance against totalitarianism by drawing parallels between Nazi and Communist regimes, emphasizing the importance of learning from history

The SS, The Holocaust, and Yaroslav Hunka

Foreign Exchanges • 982 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Holocaust
  1. The SS was founded as an organization primarily concerned with perpetrating genocide.
  2. The Waffen-SS, a military branch of the SS, played a role in the Holocaust through participation in mass shootings and supplying guards for concentration camps.
  3. Holocaust denial is becoming more prevalent in society, reflecting a concerning trend of forgetting or even praising the perpetrators of atrocities.

Listening to history

A Lawyer Writes • 353 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💾 History Holocaust
  1. Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch criticizes planned learning center near Houses of Parliament.
  2. Lasker-Wallfisch doubts effectiveness of museums and memorials in curbing antisemitism.
  3. Government faces criticism for considering underground learning center at public park near Parliament.

Memorial may be terror risk

A Lawyer Writes • 314 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Holocaust
  1. The Holocaust memorial next to parliament may pose a terrorism risk.
  2. There are concerns about the location and security of the proposed memorial.
  3. Opposition to the Holocaust Memorial Bill is based on security risks and alternative site considerations.

It did happen here

Unreported Truths • 38 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
💾 History Holocaust
  1. Munich, a city with much of its history destroyed, serves as a reminder of the horrors of Nazi Germany and the lasting moral implications of the Holocaust. It's important to reflect on how such atrocities happened.
  2. Jews in Europe, including those in Germany, believed that by assimilating and being good citizens, they would be accepted. Unfortunately, this was not the case, highlighting the unpredictability of hatred and prejudice.
  3. In the U.S., antisemitism is rising again, though the country doesn't have the same historical backdrop as Europe. It's concerning and prompts questions about the potential for history to repeat itself.

Notes on 'Zone of Interest', by Adam Lehrer

Safety Propaganda • 137 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Holocaust
  1. Jonathan Glazer is known for his unique and groundbreaking films, setting high standards for himself.
  2. The film 'The Zone of Interest' portrays a haunting vanitas concept by juxtaposing idyllic visuals with disturbing sounds of a Holocaust setting.
  3. The use of sound in the film creates a jarring contradiction, making it both boring and disturbing at the same time.

Europe's Kristallnacht

Diane Francis • 659 implied HN points • 14 Mar 22
💾 History Holocaust
  1. Kristallnacht was a violent attack against Jewish people in Germany in 1938, where many properties were destroyed.
  2. Around 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps during this event.
  3. The lack of action from local authorities and other nations highlighted a troubling indifference to the suffering of the Jewish community at that time.

Hitler's Willing Executioners

The Ruffian • 448 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
💾 History Holocaust
  1. Antisemitism in Germany was deeply rooted and violent, with a long history preceding the Nazi era. The widespread contempt for Jews eventually manifested in the genocide as an end goal, not just a regrettable task.
  2. Daniel Goldhagen's book 'Hitler's Willing Executioners' argues that Germans were not reluctant participants in the genocide, but willing and enthusiastic in carrying out Hitler's war on Jews, contrary to claims of coercion.
  3. The Nazi era demonstrated a genocidal impulse where killing became an end in itself, bringing about a society where Jews were considered 'socially dead people', subjected to extreme cruelty and violence with the active participation and consent of ordinary Germans.

My debate with comedian Dave Smith on historical revisionism, antisemitism, and Israel happens at 7 p.m. Eastern tonight

Unreported Truths • 11 implied HN points • 01 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Holocaust
  1. There's a debate happening about important topics like historical revisionism and antisemitism. It focuses on serious issues, such as the Holocaust and Israel.
  2. The debate features comedian Dave Smith, who has anti-Israel views, which has led to some tension. He has been accused of supporting revisionist histories that downplay Nazi atrocities.
  3. Expect a lively discussion, as both sides have strong opinions. They'll also touch on modern antisemitism and the conflict in Gaza.

War Games

The Weekly Gazette • 37 HN points • 11 Jul 24
💾 History Holocaust
  1. René Carmille, a French engineer, secretly sabotaged Nazi efforts to track and deport Jews by slowing down census data collection. This helped save many lives during the Holocaust.
  2. Carmille cleverly used his knowledge of technology to delay the census and even altered data to protect Jewish citizens. He is often called the first ethical hacker for his actions.
  3. Despite the risks, including imprisonment and torture, Carmille's efforts contributed to fewer Jews being deported in France compared to other countries occupied by the Nazis, showcasing the impact of individual resistance.

Reading, Watching 05.14

Unpopular Front • 60 implied HN points • 14 May 23
💾 History Holocaust
  1. The author reflects on the process of restoring German citizenship and the emotional journey it took them on.
  2. Learning about a relative who was killed in Auschwitz led to a deeper connection with family history and an appreciation for the importance of antifascist politics.
  3. Becoming a citizen of the European Union symbolizes a rejection of Nazi laws, a reconnection with European roots, and a commitment to the cosmopolitan project of the EU.

Britain's Schindler, Nicholas Winton

The Octavian Report • 58 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
💾 History Holocaust
  1. Nicholas Winton saved nearly 700 children from the Nazis during WWII.
  2. Winton's actions show that even individuals can make a significant positive impact in the worst of times.
  3. His work with the 'kindertransports' to Britain saved around 10,000 children and left a lasting legacy of hope.

Book Event: Tuesday, September 21

The Octavian Report • 24 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
📚 Literature Holocaust
  1. The Octavian Report will be returning from hiatus and resuming regular publication next week.
  2. Attend an author event on Tuesday, September 21 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York.
  3. Richard Hurowitz will discuss his book _In the Garden of the Righteous_ with Margaret Hoover, telling stories of rescuers during the Holocaust.

Should Holocaust Education Be Required?

The Cholent • 0 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Holocaust
  1. Washington state is considering bills to mandate Holocaust education in schools by 2027-28.
  2. Holocaust education can lead to more empathy and cultural understanding among students.
  3. There is a debate around whether Holocaust education should focus on anti-Semitism specifically or have a universal message.