Raphael Lemkin, Genocide, and the Holocaust Clare Heine

In the publication of his book in 1944, Raphael Lemkin created a term for the atrocities of the Holocaust: “genocide.” He had found it difficult to describe to others the dire situation which was occurring due to a lack of terminology available. How was it possible to describe what was happening to the Jews in Europe? How could one word summarize the countless lives cut short and the amount of grief that the systematic killing of a race causes? It cannot. There is no way to tell all of the 6 million stories with one word. However, Lemkin’s coining of the term “genocide” gave the ability to hold those responsible accountable for a specific crime. By naming this idea, Lemkin made genocide tangible. He made it something that people could try and prevent.

Lemkin spent his life advocating for those who had experienced the horrors of genocide by trying to indict the oppressors. He played a key role in the Nuremburg trials and worked with the United Nations to help prevent genocide. However, with Lemkin’s death in 1959, there was still no end to genocide. This horrible crime did not stop with the bureaucratic killing of Jews in Europe. It did not end when American troops liberated Jakob Blankitny and many other survivors, although much too late to rescue millions of others. Genocide is not ancient history. It is still present today.

In 1994 there was a genocide which resulted in the deaths of 800,000 people: the Rwandan genocide. The ethnic group the Hutus were a majority in Rwanda. With mounting economic and societal pressures on the country, the Hutu elite looked for a scapegoat. They found it in the ethnic minority group the Tutsis. Many Tutsi people were killed in their homes. Women were raped. Often, roadblocks were set up to find Tutsis. The killing stopped only after a Tutsi rebelled group overthrew the regime and President Kagame gained control of the country.

The United States and many other countries were fully aware of the situation in Rwanda, yet took no steps to prevent it. The United States did not hold the Rwandan government responsible for these crimes. They even hesitated to use the word genocide at all, with the fear that it would require their intervention. A few Belgian and UN troops were present in Rwanda but they eventually pulled out. This lack of international pressure and aid is appalling. It is unforgivable that major powers let a major genocide such as this occur without any action against it.

If Raphael Lemkin were still alive, and he was asked why the Holocaust was relevant today, I think he would get a funny look on his face. How isn’t the Holocaust relevant today? In the Rwandan genocide, America took no action against the crimes committed. It is apparent that we still need to remember the Holocaust. We need to remember the stories of the survivors and those who lost their lives. And, we need to use this history to produce action. We need to continue the fight that Lemkin started and work to prevent genocides worldwide.

Bibliography

January, Brendan. Genocide: Modern Crimes against Humanity. Minneapolis, MN: Twenty- First Century, 2007. Print.

“Rwanda: 100 Days of Slaughter.” BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.

“United Human Rights Council.” United Human Rights Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2015.