Abstract: Holocaust distortions are central to contemporary antisemitic rhetoric, appearing across political ideologies and geographic contexts. Such distortions, often closely linked to collective memory processes, raise critical questions about the causal relationship between antisemitism and Holocaust narratives. Theoretical and conceptual work on secondary antisemitism suggests that modern antisemitism stems from ingroup-serving Holocaust distortions, motivated by collective guilt. However, social psychological research suggests that contemporary attitudes may shape historical representations, indicating that antisemitism could be a cause, rather than a consequence, of these distortions. In a longitudinal analysis of a quota-representative sample of the German and Polish populations, two countries with distinct Holocaust histories, we examined the bidirectional relationship between antisemitic prejudice and ingroup-serving Holocaust distortion. Using structural equation modeling, we assessed the reciprocal influence of antisemitism and Holocaust reinterpretation, with both national models showing good fit (comparative fit index > .98, root-mean-square error of approximation < .065, standardized root-mean-square residual < .04). By assessing participants’ perceptions of their ingroup’s emotions and behaviors during the Holocaust alongside contemporary antisemitic attitudes, our findings show that antisemitism actively influences biased Holocaust representations. These results challenge the premise of secondary antisemitism, highlighting that historical distortions often reflect current prejudices rather than driving them. Our findings underscore how collective memory can be adapted to justify present-day biases, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between historical narratives and contemporary intergroup attitudes.
Abstract: Romania has proved to be no outlier in the ongoing trend of mainstream-ization of far-right and neo-fascist politics and discourses, despite the optimistic outlook that many shared not long ago. AUR marked a historical success, being the first “radical return” political formation to gain seats in Parliament after 1989. As a result, a process of accelerated normalization of the far-right discourse is taking place, moving the political spectrum further to the (extreme) right, while also rehabilitating historical figures that played a significant role in the Holocaust. The present paper draws on Discourse Historical Analysis and concepts such as “calculated ambivalence” and “dog-whistle politics” to unpack the coded meanings and whistles entwined in the discursive provocations and reactions of AUR’s leader, George Simion. Starting from AUR’s press release from January 2022, minimizing the Holocaust, which set in motion the “right-wing populist perpetuum mobile”, I analyze the main discursive strategies, both confrontational and submissive, used by Simion in his effort to “dog-whistle” to AUR’s ultranationalist supporters, while at the same time denying allegations of antisemitism, Holocaust minimization, and fascist sympathies. For a qualitative measure of the success or failure of these strategies, a complementary critical analysis of the reactions of some of the most prominent antisemitic ultranationalist voices in Romania is carried out. Is Simion a skillful “dog-whistler” or a “traitor”? The study shows that there is a thin and fluid line between the two.
