The Rant-Intolerance Not Bad?

A study from Washington University in St. Louis reveals that proximity to former Nazi-era concentration camps is linked to a higher prevalence of out-group intolerance and support for radical political parties. The research team, led by Margit Tavits, proposes that this enduring intolerance stems from cognitive dissonance, as the camps embodied the Nazi regime's racist doctrine. The study found that a measurable decrease in out-group intolerance for every 50-kilometer increase in distance from a former concentration camp was observed. Electoral data also corroborated these findings, with a 50-km increase in distance corresponding to a one percentage point decrease in vote share for right-leaning political parties. The study suggests that comprehensive public education about the atrocities committed at these sites can mitigate the long-term effects of the cognitive dissonance that originated during the Nazi era. The negative impacts of camp proximity were stronger for sites lacking original structures or comprehensive museums.