POLL: The 'dancing Auschwitz' video -- hilarious or offensive?

An artist from Australia is receiving a barrage of criticism for a YouTube video that shows her Holocaust- survivor father and other members of her family dancing on the grounds of Auschwitz to the tune of Gloria Gaynor's disco-era hit "I Will Survive."

That's according to various reports this week that state that the video has been causing an uproar on Twitter, Facebook and other sites. You can judge it for yourself by watching the clip above. Much of the video (though not all of it) takes place on various locations of Auschwitz, the former Nazi death camp where untold numbers perished during World War II.

In certain scenes, the dancers wear T-shirts that read "Survivor" across the chest. In other scenes, they dance under the infamous "Work Will Set You Free" sign.

According to the reports, the person behind the clip is named Jane Korman, an artist from Melbourne, Australia. Her father, Adolek Kohn, is an Auschwitz survivor who is now in his late 80's. 

We'd like to know what you think of the "dancing Auschwitz" video. Is it truly appalling, or are people making a big deal about nothing? Take the poll and feel free to leave your comments as well.

-- David Ng

Comments

[Christy Liebel]

LOVE IT! Rejoice - forgive - move on in life. Happy to be alive - sharing their joy with the world. Keep on keeping on. May Yhwh blesses you.

[Christy Liebel]

Joyful. A delight to watch. Infectious joy. Forgiving and forgiven. May Yhwh bless you all. Thank you for sharing your joy with the world in this manner. Happy to be alive and sharing their happiness with everyone. Peace.

[Channing Hillway]

This is a therapeutic celebration of life and a way for an actual survivor of the prison camps to dance and retaliate in the structure that was the heart of Nazi terror. I note that Hitler, Goebbels, Goering, Himmler and any number of others were not there dancing. Living in shame and not being able to publicly declare that one has lived through the terror of the camps is simply wrong and does not lead to healing. Looking the monster in eye, dancing and laughing is a way to get beyond the daily terror within the mind resulting from the repetitive, daily trauma of the experience. It would be good if survivors of Nazi camps around the world would get together to sing, dance, laugh and, finally, move on.

[Victoria]

The video is not "funny" or "offensive". It shows a family celebrating the fact that their Grandfather survived one of the most horrific times in history. Dancing in or around Auschwitz says that he survived this awful place and he is happy that Auschwitz, and other prison camps, didn't survive.

[Tom]

I was born in 1945 several months before World War II ended. I'm not Jewish but this video brought me tears and smiles. It is a beautiful message to see the old fellow with his offspring dancing. I hope this kind of defiant celebration keeps it in the minds of young people just how horrible people can be. I also want the young, and those that follow, to know that they can survive and celebrate.

I don't want the message to be that survivors should go somewhere and be quiet. It is good that they remind us in a positive way. We should all dance in memory of those that died. We should also dance in defiance to those disgusting people that did, and still do, these horrible things. Also, we should dance to refuse to let such things happen again.

[Philip Atkins]

Hi,

I visited Auschwitz a few years ago alone with several other sites that included Normany, France and Dachau, Germany. It's good to see that this Auschwitz video got an overall positive rating of 80% and have restored my faith in humity for the moment. I'm glad to see that they are one big happy family! God help us.

[Lucas]

You've been punked!!

This is obviously not that controversial here. An artist trying to get a name by forcing something viral. Look at the youtube stats and comments. No big deal just a PR stunt.

[FCano]

If Adolek Kohn sees nothing wrong with doing this video...then why should we! He has the right to do this since he is an actual survivor!
So let him have fun with his family...I'm sure it helped create better memories in Auschwitz compared to what he remembered for most of his life!

[amanda bush]

this has every right to celabrate they survived people should not be disgusted cause if they are they should think of the thing that they went through and we sat back and let it happen then we decided to step in whole familys are gone and grand children have no grand parents im ashamed that we we think its wrong for him to dance i say give hime a award to be able to overconme such hardship thank yo for reminding me how beutiful it is to be jewish and if my grandparents would have lived they would have danced with you

[Samantha Smith]

I think this is a rather unusual way to express ones self when referring to such an event, however, I love it. Who is to say it's wrong? I have been to many sites and read many comments on this video, and yet I have read none from any one else who is a survivor. Only those who are descendants of survivors. My grandfather, on my mothers side, his entire family was wiped out. On my Fathers side only him and his sister survived, out of a family of 12. But that doesn't make me a survivor. No one who was not there could ever, ever, understand any of it. This man survived. I think that gives him the right to go back to where his life was almost stolen and dance. If it had been me I would have thrown a party. Isn't every one happy when they escape a horrible ordeal in their life?

[Christine McLellan]

I know that many people are upset with this video and I understand their reasons, but I believe this survivor has not forgotten the pain, the suffering, or the loss of his friends and family. I see a wonderful and courageous man celebrating life in a place where torture and death were a daily event. Celebrate the courage of our brothers and sisters who died because they would not deny their faith or God. Celebrate the life of those who survived, but never forget the Holocaust did happen and it was one of the most senseless and brutal events of the twentieth century. When will we learn we are all God’s children?

[Suzi]

I found this quite by accident and now, I am sitting here and my heart is beating faster and I am smiling through misted eyes. There was a tremendous sense of joy and empowerment watching this video. This man and his beautiful grand-children...in 2010 saying we remember and we are here! This was wonderful. Thank you!

[Dorothy Gardiner]

Good for you. The sheer exuberance for life reflected in this video is the ultimate answer to the intentions of the architects of Auschwitz. I wish they could see this young and vibrant generation who dance today in defiance of those intentions. Let's hear it for everyone who has ever survived attempted genicide! My heart dances with them.

[Martin Malloy]

I find it very offensive to dance on the graves of those who didn't make it. Dancing in front of an oven where children were thrown in alive, or in the train that brought so many victims to their deaths is a slap in the face to survivors who lost their entire families.

I am very happy that this family exists; but, I think it would be much more appropriate to dance at the sight where Hitler killed himself. Auschwitz is the most evil place in the history of mankind, and should stay that way. Please don't try to lighten the mood of such a dark place, because it will happen again if we downplay what happened there.

[K Currie]

A celebration for the survivors perhaps but I found it very disturbing to see people "celebrating" their survival while doing it on the same grounds where millions perished. Would one dance on the grave of a loved one who was murdered while they themselves (who "survived") were spared?

I think not.

[Stantheman]

I wonder what survival means to the producer. A Jew survives by living free as a Jew. Not an individual that dances like a freak in front of Auschwitz. Look into what the Nazis destroyed. Then you would not dance. You would mourn.

[Jara]

It's neither offensive nor funny. What it is IS touching, beautiful and life affirming!

[Marcia James]

There is nothing whatsoever wrong with expressing the joy of survival, especially in regard to the horrendous events of the Holocaust. I found the video to be poignant and oh, so positive! The grandfather WON, he LIVED, he is dancing with his descendants on the very ground where he and many others suffered immesurably through no fault of their own. It is not a disrespectful display, it is a tribute to the courage and tenacity of the human spirit. Those who did not live also displayed untold strength and would never deny this survivor his special moment with three generations of his family.

[kenneth a cook]

save the next dance for me!

[Gabor]

It is cheap.