292: The Shadow of the Holocaust

In this episode of "The Rest Is History," Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are joined by Jonathan Freedland, author of "The Escape Artist," to discuss the Vrba-Wetzler Report, which detailed the horrors of Auschwitz. The conversation explores the reactions of world leaders like Churchill and Roosevelt to the report, the bureaucratic delays and prejudices that hindered action, and the incomprehension and disbelief that contributed to the slow response. The discussion also covers the role of the Catholic Church and Pope Pius XII, and the complex legacy of Rudolf Vrba, whose life was profoundly shaped by his experiences and his efforts to warn the world about the Holocaust. The podcast further examines the challenges of comprehending the scale of the Holocaust and the importance of remembering the individuals within the statistics.