Renowned tech mogul Elon Musk sparked controversy with a private visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland on Monday. This visit comes in the wake of mounting criticism over the proliferation of antisemitic content on his social media platform, X.
The decision to visit the site of one of the most horrific chapters of the Holocaust was prompted by escalating allegations of antisemitism against Musk and his platform, which he acquired and took private in 2022. Jewish leaders had called on Musk to bear witness to the atrocities committed at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a staggering 900 percent surge in antisemitic content on X in the weeks following the eruption of the Israel-Gaza conflict on October 7. Musk’s use of his account to amplify antisemitic tropes has drawn widespread condemnation, with the White House criticizing him for “abhorrent promotion of Antisemitic and racist hate.”
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A spokesperson for the ADL issued a statement to The Washington Post, expressing hope that Musk and the leadership team at X would reflect on the ways in which antisemitism has been allowed to spread on their platform. Musk and his representatives have yet to respond to the criticism.
In response to the ADL’s report, Musk threatened to sue the organization. However, he has also publicly rebuked Hamas militants for their actions and toured a kibbutz with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Musk was shown a video documenting atrocities against Israelis on October 7.
The controversy surrounding X and Musk reached a boiling point in November when major advertisers, including Disney and Universal, pulled their ads from the platform. The decision came after the left-leaning nonprofit group Media Matters for America revealed that X had been placing ads for major brands, such as Apple, next to antisemitic content. This content included memes portraying Nazism as a spiritual awakening and Adolf Hitler quotes presented in an inspirational style.
During World War II, more than 1 million people, predominantly Jews, were killed at Auschwitz during the Nazi occupation. Musk’s visit to the death camp was accompanied by European Jewish Association Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, who had previously invited the billionaire to visit Auschwitz in a live-streamed event on X in September.
The European Jewish Association stated that Musk laid a wreath at the wall of death and participated in a short ceremony and service by the Birkenau memorial during his visit. Musk was joined by Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev and conservative pundit Ben Shapiro, as well as one of his young sons.
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Musk had been scheduled to chat with Shapiro about antisemitism at the EJA conference in Krakow, but the discussion was ultimately canceled. The controversial tech figure has previously discussed his connection to Judaism, stating in a September 28 broadcast on X that he attended a Hebrew preschool in South Africa and described himself as “aspirationally Jewish.”
The visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau comes at a time when Musk and his social media platform are under intense scrutiny for their handling of antisemitic content. The gesture has sparked a mix of reactions, with some commending Musk for taking the initiative to visit the site and others questioning his motives.
As the controversy continues to unfold, the impact of Musk’s visit on the ongoing debate surrounding antisemitism and social media remains to be seen.
