Holocaust Education Institute _erinnern.at_ becomes part of the Education Agency OeAD in 2022

The integration of two strong players promotes Holocaust education in Austria.

In 2022 the Austrian Holocaust Education Institute _erinnern.at_ will be integrated into the OeAD-GmbH. The integration process has already started. On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) the association _erinnern.at_ supports teaching about National Socialism and Holocaust and education to prevent anti-Semitism by means of seminars and teaching materials. As a network organisation _erinnern.at_ is active in all Austrian federal provinces and involved in national as well as international cooperation. The OeAD is Austria’s agency for education and internationalisation.
The Federal Minister for Education, Heinz Faßmann, says: "The culture of remembrance in Austria and especially in the education sector has been intensified and professionalised considerably in the last 20 years. With the establishment of its own Holocaust Education Institute, _erinnern.at_, the BMBWF has ensured that Austria’s efforts to teach the history of National Socialism and the Holocaust in an adequate, contemporary and honest manner in schools and in the socio-political context have been highly recognised internationally. The securing and further developing of this form of work has been included in the government programme 2020-2024. I am pleased that this is now guaranteed with the integration of _erinnern.at_ in the OeAD-GmbH."
Martina Maschke and Manfred Wirtitsch, chairpersons of the association _erinnern.at_, are convinced of the added value of the integration: "It is extremely important to strongly anchor Holocaust education in education so that future generations will not forget it. With the integration of the association into the OeAD our activities will be secured in the long term. What is more: Within the framework of the larger organisation – the OeAD – interfaces with other educational fields can be used in a beneficial way."
"The OeAD programmes cross-link people and institutions in education, science, research and culture. At this intersection the OeAD’s tasks and expertise meet with those of _erinnern.at_. Together we want to advance the work for national and international remembrance culture further and secure it for future generations," says the OeAD’s managing director Jakob Calice.
Werner Dreier, managing director of _erinnern.at_, emphasises: "After a transitional year _erinnern.at_ will become a separate division of the OeAD in 2022. This completes an institutional development process of more than ten years, in which different options for long-term security and planning security of _erinnern.at_'s work were discussed and examined in detail."
For _erinnern.at_ the integration into the OeAD means a secure basis to continue its successful work. With _erinnern.at_'s expertise the OeAD will gain new approaches to remembrance culture education and work for the sustainable further development of this work. Together the important topic of Holocaust education will be brought to a broad target group: "By bringing together the expertise, topics and tasks of Holocaust education added value will be created that will benefit many people in Austria beyond teachers," the two managing directors Calice and Dreier are convinced.
Barbara Weitgruber, head of the research section at the BMBWF, adds: "The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research supports the integration of _erinnern.at_ into the federal education agency OeAD. At the same time it is important that an independent perspective remains in place through _erinnern.at_'s scientific advisory board," says Weitgruber.
About _erinnern.at_
_erinnern.at_ was founded in 2000 and has been an association of the BMBWF with its registered office in Bregenz since 2009. In 2019 _erinnern.at_ reached more than 1700 teachers through in-service trainings and 7700 young people through eyewitness talks. _erinnern.at_ is involved in numerous national and international cooperations, including the Israeli Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
The networks in the federal provinces will remain in place, as will the location Bregenz. The management of the association will move to the OeAD as sectional management. The international scientific advisory board of _erinnern.at_ will remain in place and accompany the transition process.
About the OeAD
The OeAD supports and cross-links people and institutions in education, science, research and culture with its programmes. As an agency of the Republic of Austria, the OeAD thus contributes to inclusive, equal and high-quality education. European and international exchange as well as transnational mobility serve as the agency's most important tools. Thus, as national agency, the OeAD is responsible, for example, for the implementation of "Erasmus+ Education" in Austria. Likewise, project work – especially with schools – is of high priority.