Persons formerly persecuted by National Socialism in exchange with teachers

The OeAD programme _erinnern.at_ gives generations a chance to talk to each other


The encounter and exchange with contemporary witnesses is an elementary part of the programme _erinnern.at_. The programme _erinnern.at_ is a programme run by the OeAD for teaching and learning about National Socialism and the Holocaust. Teachers from all over Austria come together for an annual seminar, get in direct contact with contemporary witnesses and are trained in how to organise talks with contemporary witnesses and integrate them into their lessons. This year’s seminar took place on 3 and 4 April 2022 in Vienna.

The minister of education Martin Polaschek attended the seminar in the Kardinal König Building in Vienna on Monday. He extended words of welcome and exchanged views with the contemporary witnesses present and the teachers. Polaschek also emphasised the importance of remembrance work for the pupils.

The two-day seminars always focus on storytelling and listening. The contemporary witnesses share their memories in facilitated discussion rounds. Pedagogical and organisational issues that can arise in the personal encounter of contemporary witnesses and pupils are addressed both in face-to-face and online formats. Since the pandemic and due to the increasingly reduced mobility of the contemporary witnesses as they grow older biographical, contemporary and intergenerational talks are now also brought into classrooms via Zoom. A trained support team of young history teacher training students has supported school visits for several years both in terms of organisation and by means of personal assistance and facilitation.

“Meeting contemporary witnesses has a lasting effect on young people and gives them access to history that goes far beyond mere factual knowledge. Teaching and learning about National Socialism and the Holocaust by means of getting to know the stories of people’s lives are an important aspect of Austrian remembrance education, which is permanently embedded in the Austrian education system through the OeAD programme _erinnern.at_,” said the minister of education Martin Polaschek.

About the contemporary witnesses programme:

In the autumn of 1977 what had already begun many years before in smaller initiatives was institutionalised: Shortly before the 40th anniversary of Austria’s annexation by the German Reich and at the suggestion of survivors of National Socialist crimes the then Ministry of Education founded the “ReferentInnenvermittlungsdienst zur Zeitgeschichte”. The “contemporary witnesses programme”, as it is now called, is part of the OeAD's Holocaust education programme. The commitment of the contemporary witnesses who are still active through this education programme is impressive. Currently some 10-15 Holocaust witnesses in Austria visit schools on a regular basis via the OeAD programme _erinnern.at_.
“As national education agency the OeAD supports school visits and talks of contemporary witnesses of different groups of Holocaust victims within the framework of school lessons – in terms of organisation, historical expertise and didactics. The contemporary witnesses seminar, which is the centrepiece of our _erinnern.at_ programme, contributes essentially to encouraging and enabling teachers to organise school visits by contemporary witnesses,” emphasises the OeAD’s managing director Jakob Calice.

For the contemporary witnesses themselves the direct exchange with the following generations and the teachers is of utmost importance. “Since I have been giving talks I know a lot more about myself and what I have experienced and how I think. Sometimes this is good, sometimes it is not so good but it is very important for me to talk about it. And it makes me realise how important it is to be able to talk about things that I have experienced. (...) I don’t just want to teach the pupils but I try to make them understand what each individual can do,” says the contemporary witness Gertraud Fletzberger.

Learning through encounters with contemporary witnesses

The talks with people who were persecuted during the Nazi era enhance the teaching content in subjects such as history, political education, religion and ethics. The OeAD supports the organisation of visits of contemporary witnesses and provides suggestions for preparation and follow-up as well as for the use of video interviews with contemporary witnesses in classroom teaching.

Overview of the OeAD programme _erinnern.at_’s learning options based on the stories of people’s lives: https://www.erinnern.at/zeitzeuginnen
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