International Projects
At the same time, many of us grow up with privileges that make it seem natural to cross national borders, call a country home, or have the freedom to decide where we live. Unfortunately, even today, this is not a given, and it would have been unthinkable during the time of National Socialism. Discrimination does not stop at borders, and we must address issues such as antisemitism and our shared history on an international level.
For this reason, we have set out to focus on this and especially to encourage young people from different countries to engage in dialogue.
Looking for inspiration for your own international, digital projects?
In our impulse paper on international, digital Holocaust Education, we have summarized our experiences and lessons learned from the 'Never Forget' project. It is aimed at teachers, social workers and everyone else involved in the education sector who would like to embark on this journey of dialogue. It is intended to provide impetus, assistance and ideas for designing your own projects.
“Never Forget”: Transnational Dialogues between Holocaust Witnesses and Youth from Germany and the USA
In the summer of 2024, we connected 190 young people from Germany and the USA with each other. They met Holocaust survivors online and had the chance to interview them and learn more about their life stories. These rare and special conversations were the start of their own commitment. They developed their own formats to keep the stories of the survivors alive. In additional digital, transnational workshops and dialogue sessions, the young participants from Germany and the US exchanged their results and thoughts on these topics with each other. Questions such as the following were discussed: What was it like to meet the survivor? Do you now feel like a “Second witness”? Why do you think an international perspective on the Holocaust is an important one? What can we – as the younger generation – do?
Additionally, we offer workshops and training formats for multipliers (e.g. teachers) from Germany and the USA.
“Never Forget” is a collaborative project with the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. Furthermore, during the project’s duration, various American high schools and schools from North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) have joined the initiative. The project is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Five Holocaust witnesses have bravely agreed to share their stories in these digital formats and answer the questions of the young participants.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to
From the ZWEITZEUGEN Network
- Eva Weyl
from Amsterdam, Netherlands - Dr. Leon Weintraub
from Stockholm, Sweden
From the Museum of Jewish Heritage Network
- Lisa Baer
from New York City, USA - Jerry Lindenstraus
from New York City, USA - Norbert Strauss
from New York City, USA
How did the young people pass on the stories?
Your Contact Person
Lena Vogel
Head of Adult Education & International Affairs
For inquiries, please contact Lena Vogel via email: l.vogel@zweitzeugen.de