Union Argues School Trip Visit to National Memorial Site Was Sanctioned - Union Representative Confirms: School Outing to Nazi Memorial Proceeds Successfully
Teaching the Holocaust: A Balanced Approach to Memorial Site Visits
School trips to memorial sites for victims of the Nazi regime can be enlightening and instructive, according to the education union GEW, provided they are designed and followed up correctly. Thilo Hartmann, GEW's chairperson in Hesse, advocates for alternative educational strategies to teach the Holocaust within the classroom.
A visit or even researching and placing "stumbling stones" allows students to engage with the victims' personal stories under the NS regime, Hartmann explains. However, he cautions that a visit to a memorial site alone may not guarantee an understanding of the nature of the Holocaust or the promotion of democratic values.
Making memorial site visits mandatory for all classes is generally not considered beneficial, as stated by the Hessian Ministry of Culture and, as far as they know, the majority of memorial sites themselves. While memorial sites serve as educational spaces, they are also places of remembrance, warning, and mourning, thus making history tangible and experiential.
Seven memorial sites, supported by the Ministry with deployed teaching staff, address the Nazi past, including the memorial sites Hadamar and Breitenau, the memorial site and museum Trutzhain, and the documentation and information center Stadtallendorf. Additionally, teaching staff is available at four other educational institutions focusing on the Nazi past, such as the Anne Frank educational center.
Incorporating various teaching strategies beyond field trips to memorial sites can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Holocaust. The GEW does not specify additional methods they recommend, but educators might consider interdisciplinary approaches, personal stories and survivor testimonies, debates and critical thinking, role-playing and simulations, community engagement, and technology and digital resources. Integrating these methods into a curriculum can offer a deeper understanding of the Holocaust.
The Community policy in Hesse could emphasize vocational training for educators, focusing on the Holocaust, to ensure they are equipped with a range of teaching strategies beyond field trips to memorial sites. A well-rounded education-and-self-development program, including vocational training, could foster a deeper learning experience for students, promoting comprehensive understanding of the Holocaust and its impact.
