They said the “instrumentalisation” of the tragedy by the TD was a symbol of “moral and intellectual decline”.
The Auschwitz Memorial site has offered Independent TD Mattie McGrath a course on the history of the Holocaust after he compared the Covid-19 vaccine to “Nazi Germany”.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, McGrath refused to answer whether he had received a coronavirus vaccine, saying that nobody should have to discuss their private medical records.
The Tipperary TD followed up the remark by comparing the vaccine rollout to the “beginning of Nazi Germany”.
McGrath also referred to the new indoor dining legislation, which will see only those who have been vaccinated, accompanying under 18s and those who have recently recovered from Covid-19 dine indoors from late July, as “draconian”.
Following his reference to Nazi Germany – not his first in recent months, it should be said – the Auschwitz Memorial, which preserves the site of the former German Nazi Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp, has offered the politician a course on the history of the holocaust, saying that his continued “instrumentalisation” of the tragedy is unacceptable.
“Instrumentalisation of the tragedy of all people who between 1933-45 suffered, were humiliated, tortured and murdered by the hateful totalitarian regime of Nazi Germany to argue against vaccination that saves human lives is a sad symptom of moral and intellectual decline,” they said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Memorial also tweeted the politician with a link to a free seven-chapter online course on the tragic events.
@mattiemcgrathtd ‘Holocaust–the destruction of European Jews’
A seven-chapter online course about the history od the #Holocaust.
All parts below.https://t.co/Law3fQRRMS— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) July 13, 2021
McGrath has frequently compared Covid-19 public health measures in Ireland to that of “Nazi Hitler’s time” over the past number of months.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has previously described the comments as “disgraceful” and “contemptible”.
In relation to McGrath’s comments comparing the situation in Ireland to that of Nazi Germany, specifically in relation to a planned taxi driver protest that was denied permission by Gardaí earlier this year, Martin said: “I think that is a disgraceful and contemptible remark.
Gardaí have to make operational decisions, operational decisions in an unarmed police force in this country that has stood us well and served the country very well throughout the years.
“That reference should be withdrawn irrespective of to whom it applies, given the appalling atrocities that Nazis committed and that Hitler committed.
“We are a far different country than that and it is not good enough that remarks like that would just slip off the tongue in condemning operational decisions that have been taken.
“A bit of self-awareness and a bit of acknowledgment of where this country has come from is due and you should withdraw those remarks, it is not good enough.”
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