Gary Fitleberg, December 2, 2004

Forty-five percent of British adults have never heard of Auschwitz, according to a BBC poll.

Among women and those aged under 35 the figure was even higher, at 60 percent. The research was released ahead of a January 2005 BBC series marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the infamous death camp.

"We were amazed by the results of our audience research," series producer Laurence Rees said. "It's easy to presume that the horrors of Auschwitz are ingrained in the nation's collective memory, but obviously this is not the case."

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the U.K.'s Holocaust Educational Trust, said, "These statistics are extremely shocking. For many, Auschwitz is a universal symbol of the horrors of the Holocaust. Undoubtedly our work is more urgent than ever."

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2004 Gary Fitleberg