Holocaust heritage and its problems with authenticity

This paper considers authenticity at sites of Holocaust heritage through the eyes of the IHRA Charter for Safeguarding Sites, exploring the importance of authenticity for providing proof of the past and avoiding Holocaust denial and distortion. Drawing on a variety of case studies from across Europe, it examines authenticity in both physical reconstructions and restorations, as well as in the atmosphere at these sites. It concludes by asking whether arguing about the acceptability of inauthenticity and its limits is ultimately a distraction. The real problem today is Holocaust distortion, and elements at sites which contribute to that, and tell false narratives of past, are where heritage professionals at such sites should place their energies.