WW2 is taught to a basic level in schools in the UK I watched this last night on BBC 4 BBC - BBC Four Programmes - My Father was a Nazi Commandant a bit more info below Haunted by my father, the camp commandant - Times Online
Thinking about what we were taught in danish schools, I can't remember much of it. My knowledge concerning WW2 is self taught from forums like this one, movies and books. A friend of mine who is a teacher and also very into the whole WW2 theme, often complaints about the amount of time he's given to cover WW2. Furthermore there are certain rules which obligates him to teach specific subjects, like the history of Denmark during the war and the holocaust. When that is covered there is very little time left to commence other subjects. Quite frustrating he says.
WW2 in general is now taught more strongly in Schools, and the impression I got was that the 'Remembrance' topic was rammed home quite fulsomely at my sprogs' place (infants/primary). Maybe those that missed it were just at school in a period when it wasn't covered so well, and that has since been changed. I don't believe that '4 out of 5 don't know what Auschwitz was' either Doesn't that come from a survey that was rubbished, or very small? rings a bell. The last such media buzz I can recall was the Auschwitz/Beer one from a year or two back, eg.: Auschwitz is a beer, schoolchildren tell researchers - Telegraph And the closest to '4/5' on there is uncertainty as to what the final solution was, something that wouldn't surprise me that much as it's a more technical term. Ah, that probably is the one I was thinking of - it was a tiny survey of 1000 kids, with weak methodology: The perils of privately commisioned polls – Auschwitz and Beer « gimpy’s blog The curriculum for history specificially states that the Holocaust is to be covered in some detail, but not until Year 9, when the pupils are 13-14 years old. This means that a large part of the dataset used by Dubit, covering ages 11-16, would not have studied the Holocaust, thus skewing the findings of the poll. (Sure we discussed that before somewhere?) I agree with Drew that there ain't no obligation to learn WW2 history. And there's no accounting for thickies, but I just don't accept that the bulk of 20-somethings don't know of Auschwitz or the holocaust. It certainly doesn't fit my experience.
My nephews were taught WW2 at school first. Now they are teaching 14 year olds in Bradford about WW1 and even had a visit from an Auschwitz survivor who is trying to keep the memory alive. Lesley
I think your husband should have said "yes, it's a resort, of sorts" and got them to look it up on the internet...
I am an old age pensioner and my Dad served in WW2 but apart from a couple of silly stories the war was never discussed in our house. Neither world war was part of my History syllabus. We observed Remembrance Sunday but were discouraged from asking questions. Bombed sites were the everyday playgrounds for my siblings and I, but we just never made the connection that they were the wrecks of peoples' houses. My only exposure was I guess Hollywood's interpretation of some events, but the questions that they raised in my mind lay dormant until after my Dad died. I will be eternally grateful for finding Ron Goldstein and Tom Canning on the BBC website because they patiently answered my questions and recommended further reading. Almost every word I read made me feel more humble. So I hope those youngsters also find their Ron and Tom for I have learned more about the war in the last few years than at any time previously.
CTNANA Good to read that you are still with us but - quietly in the background - just glad that we were able to help with that series- and we also had a few laughs while learning....all the best to you Cheers - Tom
Wow, that really is sad. I'm going to be a sophmore in High School and I've only actually been "taught" about WWII and the Holocaust in history class last year. And it was very brief, maybe 30 pages out of our textbooks. It didn't even stratch the surface. It's a shame.
I will be eternally grateful for finding Ron Goldstein and Tom Canning on the BBC website because they patiently answered my questions and recommended further reading. Almost every word I read made me feel more humble. So I hope those youngsters also find their Ron and Tom for I have learned more about the war in the last few years than at any time previously. CTNana, There are a good sprinkling of veterans on this forum and I don't know them all, just three through exchanges - alphabetically, Tom Canning, Ron Goldstein and Brian Guy (handle 'Sapper'). Agree with them or not, you cannot ignore their service and personal experiences...they have been there, seen it, got the T-shirt. They are true heroes, and legends on this forum, and like you I am grateful for all they impart! Best, Steve.
Just in case there are some younger one's who are new to the Forum, perhaps it's worth mentioning that Omaha Beach is in Normandy France and not in Nebraska USA. Incidentally, my grandson rcently went on a school trip as part of his English Language studies, to Ypres and Tyle Cot Cemetery, where he found my Uncle William's name inscribed; although History is not one of his chosen subjects! When I "did" History, in the 1930's, we studied The Corn Laws and Catholic emancipation, not a word about WW1, in which all of our teachers had been involved. I learnt about WW2 first hand, but that was nearly 70 years ago. Perhaps if all politicians were obliged to study the death and maiming statistics resulting from the military agression that they initiate and forced to serve three months themselves on Active Service at the sharp end, we might stand a chance of seeing more than a month go by without somebody else being killed in their name.
When I "did" History, in the 1930's, we studied The Corn Laws and Catholic emancipation, not a word about WW1, in which all of our teachers had been involved. I learnt about WW2 first hand, but that was nearly 70 years ago. Perhaps if all politicians were obliged to study the death and maiming statistics resulting from the military agression that they initiate and forced to serve three months themselves on Active Service at the sharp end, we might stand a chance of seeing more than a month go by without somebody else being killed in their name. I studied The Corn Laws and Catholic emancipation, but I was far too young to have served in WWII... Our Prime Ministers grandfather was the CO of 61st Recce, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, on D-Day - Mount - and he was seriously wounded on D-Day plus 1. The history lesson does not appear to have been passed down the generations... Best, Steve.
While retracing my Dad's route through various towns and villages in Holland, I came to stay at a hotel in Njimegen. The innkeeper asked if I was American or Canadian. I replied Canadian. What is the purpose of your visit became the next question. I am the son of a ww2 veteran who was here sixty odd years ago was my reply. She then went on to tell me numerous stories of what happened to her relatives during the war. She said the Dutch remember. The events of ww2 are a key focus of history classes throughout the Dutch curriculum through all the school years. Sad, to say in Canada, studies on both world wars amount to a paltry 6 weeks. Pity, eh? Perhaps Pieter and Phillip will expand on this...
Hate to admit it but I was watching a daytime quiz show on Monday called 'Pointless'. A question was put to two young girls in their late teens/early twenties, "Name a Labour Prime Minister". The conversation between them went something like: "Winston Churchill?" "Not sure. Was he even a Prime Minister?" "Not sure. Oh well, let's say Winston Churchill then." OK I can forgiven them slightly for not knowing his party affiliation but seriously how can you grow up in Britain and not know whether Churchill was a Prime Minister or not? That also makes me sad!
WW2 is taught to a basic level in schools in the UK I watched this last night on BBC 4 BBC - BBC Four Programmes - My Father was a Nazi Commandant a bit more info below Haunted by my father, the camp commandant - Times Online What a fantastic program - thanks as I would have missed it and now glad I didn't. Amazing how your history can make or break you. Always did wonder that while Brit families were searching about heroic acts, that would the Germans be doing similar knowing that they might find horrible acts that they didn't want to know about. I spent a holiday in Germany and many Germans wouldn't talk about the war, it was not a memory about their family they wanted to re-live, also had a similar experience with Italians!
Meant to add: I live in Scotland, my daughter is nearly 16 and did study WW2 and WW1 (as did I at school and I'm 41). I spoke to a History teacher that made it a bit clearer - in senior school in the 70's and 80's WW2 was a big subject, in early nineties it wasn't classed as 'so important - core subject' and dropped down the curriculum but returned in about 2006 as a core part. Explains a lot as to why 50, 40 and some 30 year olds know but why some 20 year olds don't! In saying that it's always been a part of late Primary school, guess that's just a bit early. I have no suggestions as to how to make it better or make a generation care, but I will try my dam hardest to make sure that I pass the history to my future generations. They might not want to know now, but pass it down in paper or disk and they will when they get older.
I have to say this there are many things that'd make me cry, but this ignorance of history by some people isn't one of them. It doesn't make anyone a bad person either. Don't ask me for details about the Potato Famine, the English Civil War or the Black Death, as I haven't a clue - I was never interested enough to find out more. Plenty of young people know or are learning about the Holocaust, and more importantly are likely to pick up more as they get older - just as we all did. My son was given The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas as a standard text for Eng Lit. in his first year at High School. It led to a good deal of discussion and research on his own part - driven by personal interest and not by his teachers. Rather than be sad, take this as an opportunity that presented itself to inform. I'd rather we all felt comfortable admitting/revealing ignorance - it is after all, very easily rectified.
I think your husband should have said "yes, it's a resort, of sorts" and got them to look it up on the internet... I agree, he should have said it's a crazy place so busy but so quiet in places - have a look on the net. I think he was so shocked (normally a quick witted chap) he didn't know what to say. Next time he does and he'll give them the DVD to watch and this forum to google!
The whole of History has become a Politically Corrected subject. They get a vague idea that there were Romans and horrid Vikings with a bit of luck the downtrodden Villeins and then off to the Tolpuddle Martyrs, slavery and satanic mills. My Grandson (11years old) asked me what had become of the Vikings? My daughter (very bright) got an A in A level History without touching on battles or kings and queens. I bought her Churchill's 4 volumes of the "History of the English Speaking Peoples" to fill in the gap. Is it important - I think so. Without curiosity and a major one is how did we get here, surely we would be still be bunch of ignorant monkeys. Couldn't agree more!
I have to say this there are many things that'd make me cry, but this ignorance of history by some people isn't one of them. It doesn't make anyone a bad person either. Don't ask me for details about the Potato Famine, the English Civil War or the Black Death, as I haven't a clue - I was never interested enough to find out more. Plenty of young people know or are learning about the Holocaust, and more importantly are likely to pick up more as they get older - just as we all did. My son was given The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas as a standard text for Eng Lit. in his first year at High School. It led to a good deal of discussion and research on his own part - driven by personal interest and not by his teachers. Rather than be sad, take this as an opportunity that presented itself to inform. I'd rather we all felt comfortable admitting/revealing ignorance - it is after all, very easily rectified. I think you misunderstand - I'm not upset about the ignorance of history itself, if we don't know it's happened then how can we remember. I do think though that some instances in history are 'glorified' (I won't say which ones) so we remember yet WW2 is so far down that list, where instead of 2000 people or one person dying millions of people died to give us liberty and freedom and yet it's rarely mentioned. An example - more young people will remember Amy Whinehouse dying than the people that died in WW2 - surely that's wrong.
It's still not clear to me then why you were so upset. Don't quite grasp that statistic, how would you know that? My teens didn't know who that lady was until she died. Very much a shrug of the shoulders - which led to an excellent conversation about how some people lose themselves and waste their talent - like so many before her. Out of interest did anyone ask these 20 year olds if they'd heard of the Holocaust? Or had even a vague notion of WW2? I lost part of your drift there. Are you saying that WW2 is rarely mentioned?
