TikTok's viral trend of 'Trauma Porn' that poses as World War II's holocaust victims caught the attention of the Auschwitz Memorial Museum who condemns the movement and calls it disrespectful, 'hurtful,' and 'offensive.' The organization does not want to shame the 'young people' that were involved but the trend in general.
The controversial TikTok content sparked talks and issues that caught the attention of the former Nazi holocaust museum that commemorates and remember the victims. The Nazi holocaust is one of the most significant crimes against humanity that happened in World War II, aiming to purge Europe of its immigrants that concerns Jews primarily.
TikTok's short video shows the youth of today reenacting the situation or looks of the Jew victims that were forced into Nazi-Germany's concentration camps. Holocaust victims in the concentration camps were abused and forced into slavery, working for the Nazi army and some, facing their ultimate demise.
The Auschwitz Memorial posted a statement with regards to their take on the latest TikTok trend on their Twitter page (@AuschwitzMuseum). The organization stated that the movement is presenting an actual look that is 'dangerously close' to the situation that the victims then experienced.
The statement of the museum went viral and reached out to a lot of Twitter audiences who shared the same sentiments despite belonging to this generation and not being able to see and experience the hardships of World War II.
The 'victims' trend on TikTok can be hurtful & offensive. Some videos are dangerously close or already beyond the border of trivialization of history.
But we should discuss this not to shame & attack young people whose motivation seem very diverse. It's an educational challenge. pic.twitter.com/CB4Ve2uRUK— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) August 26, 2020
The museum in the site of Nazi's largest concentration camp in Auschwitz aims to bring to light and remember the fallen victims. They perished because of the inhumane ideals of purging Europe of immigrants. This act is a way for the museum to pay respects to the deceased. The museum also reminds their families that they sympathize and frown upon the genocide during the war.
The Auschwitz Memorial Museum recognizes TikTok's trend in shedding light and awareness on the subject of the Holocaust. However, they note that some influencers were only joining on the trend or being "bandwagons" and not using the campaign to commemorate the victims.
The museum also notes that the stories from tragic moments in history, like the Holocaust, should not put people in the victim's position. Ethical challenges and psychological dangers are also present in the reenactment of the harrowing experiences and deaths of the genocide.
Telling the story of the victims
UNESCO recently sounded the alarm about how advancements in AI technology could intentionally contribute to disseminating false narratives about the Holocaust.Scott Barbour/Getty Images
The Auschwitz Memorial notes that telling the story of the victims should be done in the most respectful way and with factual accuracy. The organization also notes that not all social media activities can commemorate the victims of tragic crimes against humanity.
Dr Martin Stern, MBE, is outraged by the trend in the social media platform, TikTok, saying that it is filled with inaccuracies and shows a lack of understanding, according to Metro.
Dr Stern was previously held captive at concentration camps in Europe back when he was a child.
The Holocaust a.k.a. Nazi-Germany's Jew Genocide
September 1942: This photograph, of a raid on the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw, was found on the body of a German soldier killed on the Russian front. During such raids Jews were lined up in the streets and forced to stand facing a wall with their hands above their heads for long periods. Gestapo agents on the left are searching some of the victims. Beatings, torture or murder would be the likely result of any 8contrabande being found. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
The Holocaust during World War II is Nazi-invaded Germany's purge of European Jews. The Final Solution, its secret codename, is a Nazi policy to wipe-out the Jew existence that resulted in six million murders during their rule.
This genocide is a type of racial discrimination that also included other "inferior" races to be included in the Nazi mass murder. Gypsies, Homosexuals, and even different religions that lived throughout Europe. It is quite noting that the Nazis were very particular in the eradication of Jews during the war.
