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Children's Holocaust Memorial - Educational Resources

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 A Unique Learning Opportunity
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The Children’s Holocaust Memorial honours and remembers the 1.5 million children killed during the Holocaust, including children related to New Zealand's own Holocaust survivors, descendants and refugees.

It also provides an enduring lesson for New Zealanders: the importance of standing up to discrimination, prejudice, and the violation of human rights.
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The Children’s Holocaust Memorial was officially launched at the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington on 15 November 2018.

The Memorial is the first of its kind in the world, combining the simple everyday button as an icon within a unique contemporary design installation. Another major element of the memorial is an interactive educational space with exhibition panels and videos.


The memorial was the culmination of a project that began in a small Jewish primary school in Wellington. 

To read more on the history of the memorial and the "button project", click here.



Message from  Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern​, 2019
Prime Minister of New Zealand (2017–2023)
Auckland Opening of the Children's Holocaust Memorial

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Key Learning Themes

Underpinning the Children’s Holocaust Memorial are a number of key themes, including:
  • How an autocratic government relentlessly threatened and violated the rights of minority groups, including Jewish children, German children with physical and mental disabilities, and Roma and Sinti, and Polish children.
  • How some people were courageously prepared to stand up and protect the human rights of minorities – that is, prepared to be Upstanders.
  • The need to be always aware and alert to protecting hard won human rights – especially freedom of speech, freedom to assemble and freedom to practice one’s own religion.
  • The importance in a modern democracy such as New Zealand, to respect and nurture diversity in all its forms – racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, religious, age and disability.

Relevance to the New Zealand Curriculum – History & Social Studies
Level 4 History achievement objectives
  • Understand that events have causes and effects.
  • Understand how the ways in which leadership of groups is acquired and exercised have consequences for communities and societies.
  • Understand how formal and informal groups make decisions that impact on communities.
  • Understand how people participate individually and collectively in response to community challenges.
Level 5 history achievement objectives
  • Understand how cultural interaction impacts on cultures and societies.
  • Understand how the ideas and actions of people in the past have had a significant impact on people’s lives.
  • Understand how people define and seek human rights.
Level 6 history achievement objectives
  • Understand how the causes and consequences of past events that are of significance to New Zealanders shape the lives of people and society.
  • Understand how people’s perspectives on past events that are of significance to New Zealanders differ.
Level 7 history achievement objectives
  • Understand how historical forces and movements have influenced the causes and consequences of events of significance to New Zealanders.
  • Understand how people’s interpretations of events that are of significance to New Zealanders differ.
Level 8 history achievement objectives
  • Understand that the causes, consequences, and explanations of historical events that are of significance to New Zealanders are complex and how and why they are contested.
  • Understand how trends over time reflect social, economic, and political forces.
Teacher Resources For Use Before, During, and After Visiting the Memorial

Activities
​Before Your Class Visit
  • Pyramid of Hate
  • Prejudice worksheet
  • The Onslaught of Nazi Occupation
During your class visit
  • Hopes and Dreams
  • Children during the Holocaust
  • Children during the Holocaust, 2 
  • Primary and Intermediate Worksheet
  • Middle and Senior Worksheet
After your class visit
  • Case Study Denmark Takes Action
  • The Button Tree
  • The Role of Bystanders​
  • Upstander Activity
Contact for all education enquiries:
​Education Director, Kristopher Clancy  [email protected]

Place the Children's Holocaust Memorial in your Community Venue
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The Children's Holocaust Memorial and accompanying exhibition is a travelling exhibition.  

Contact us if you are interested in hosting it at a venue in your community. [email protected] 





​Opening of the Children's Holocaust Memorial at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, ​October 2021
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Launch of the Children's Holocaust Memorial at ​ the National Library of New Zealand
​Wellington, November 15, 2018 
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From our visitors' book
 

"A really powerful display representing something incomprehensible. Many thanks"
- Louise, Alex and Sam Hall

"A super touching tribute to the small lives lost senselessly. I'm a history graduate and I've never seen a visual display dedicated to the children of the Holocaust. Sad, moving and necessary. Thank you" - Beth, United Kingdom

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Donate
​To make a donation via internet banking, please make payment to: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
Account Number 03-0515-0507281-000
​Charity registration number CC48551

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LOCATION

​80 Webb Street
Te Aro
Wellington, 6011
New Zealand
​

+64 4 801 9480​
[email protected]

OPENING HOURS

Mon-Fri & Sun: 10:00am – 1:00pm 
Saturday: Closed
​Closed  public holidays and Jewish holy days 
© 2025 All rights reserved Holocaust Centre of New Zealand | Website by WebXperts Ltd

DETAILS:

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80 Webb Street
Te Aro
Wellington, 6011
New Zealand
04 801 9480
[email protected]

DIRECTIONS:

HOURS:

Monday: 10am - 1pm
Tuesday: 10am - 1pm
Wednesday: 10am - 1pm
Thursday: 10am - 1pm
Friday: 10am - 1pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 10am - 1pm

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