Paul Seideman Scholarship for Yrs 7-13
Entries for 2025 - NOW OPEN. CLOSING 19 September, 5PM
2025 Topic
"Evaluate the extent to which intergenerational dialogues contribute to a deeper and more empathetic understanding of the Holocaust's enduring impact on future generations."
Guidelines:
This question invites you to explore the power of direct intergenerational communication in transmitting the lessons and legacies of the Holocaust. Your response should critically assess how and to what degree these unique exchanges foster understanding, empathy, and remembrance across different age groups.
Possible Approaches:
- Essay: A traditional essay exploring the question with historical context, analytical arguments, and relevant examples. You might draw upon existing examples of intergenerational projects or theorise about their potential impact.
- Poem: A poetic exploration that delves into the emotional, psychological, and historical dimensions of intergenerational dialogue, illustrating its power to bridge time and understanding.
- Piece of Art (Visual): A painting, sculpture, digital artwork, film, or mixed media piece that visually interprets the themes of intergenerational connection, empathy, trauma, and legacy as they relate to the Holocaust. Your submission should be accompanied by an artist's statement (approx. 300 words) explaining your artistic choices and how they address the question.
- Music Composition: An original musical piece (e.g., song, instrumental composition) that evokes the themes of dialogue, remembrance, and the passing of stories across generations. Your submission should be accompanied by a composer's statement (approx. 300 words) explaining your musical choices and how they address the question.
We highly encourage students to explore ways to enter beyond an essay. Entries can be submitted via email or post.
Length:
- Media clip or music composition, maximum 5 minutes in length.
- Written essays will only be accepted in a PDF format, with the following word limits:
Yr 9-10: 750 words maximum
Yr 11-13: 1000 words maximum
Consider the following in your evaluation:
- The Nature of Dialogue: How does direct conversation between survivors and younger individuals differ from other forms of historical education? What unique insights or connections can emerge from these personal exchanges?
- Empathy and Connection: To what extent do these dialogues cultivate empathy, not just for the victims and survivors, but also for the ongoing impact of the Holocaust on families and society? How might the involvement of children as interviewers uniquely shape this connection?
- The "Enduring Impact": Beyond historical facts, how do these dialogues illuminate the legacy of the Holocaust – for individuals, families (including the concept of intergenerational trauma), and the broader New Zealand society?
- Challenges and Opportunities: What are the potential challenges in facilitating such dialogues (e.g., sensitive subject matter, emotional intensity, the passing of the survivor generation)? What opportunities do they present for long-term remembrance and active engagement in combating contemporary issues like antisemitism?
- Future Generations: How do these dialogues prepare and empower younger generations to carry forward the responsibility of Holocaust education and remembrance?
Your response, regardless of format, should demonstrate a thoughtful engagement with the scholarship theme and the specific aspects of intergenerational dialogue and its contribution to Holocaust memory.
Entries must include:
Name of student, current year, name of the school, contact phone number, email, and teacher’s name.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded in three categories: Years 7 - 8, Years 9 - 10, and Years 11 - 13.
The prize includes:
- Return flights to Wellington for the student and one guardian.
- Overnight hotel accommodation in Wellington (out of town winners only)
- $500 scholarship
- Framed certificate
Winners will present their entries and receive their prize at the International Holocaust Remembrance Day function in Wellington on 27 January 2026*.
CLOSING DATE: Friday 19 September 2025, 5 PM.
ENTRIES AND ALL QUERIES TO:
Email: [email protected]
Or Post: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand 80 Webb St, Te Aro, Wellington. Attention Kris Clancy,
Education Director
All artwork posted to the Holocaust Centre must come with pre-paid return shipping, so that items can be returned to you.
ENTRIES AND ALL QUERIES TO:
Email: [email protected]
Or Post: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand 80 Webb St, Te Aro, Wellington. Attention Kris Clancy,
Education Director
All artwork posted to the Holocaust Centre must come with pre-paid return shipping, so that items can be returned to you.
*All entrants must be available for the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2026, and by entering this competition, students agree to the inclusion of their work and photos in HCNZ publications and online platforms.
BACKGROUND
Holocaust survivor Paul Seideman was a great supporter of Holocaust education and remembrance in Aotearoa New Zealand.
As a young Czech Jew, Paul managed to survive the Lodz Ghetto, several concentration and labour camps, including Auschwitz, and a death march, during World War II. He was liberated at Dachau, aged 17. After liberation, Paul emigrated to Australia and then New Zealand. Sadly, Paul's mother and father died in the Lodz Ghetto in 1941 and 1942, respectively.
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Soviet Army on 27 January 1945, and to encourage students in Aotearoa New Zealand to engage in Holocaust studies, Paul funded an annual Holocaust essay competition for secondary students, administered by the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. This was established in 2014, as a 500-word essay on “The Holocaust and its lessons for New Zealand”, and inaugurally awarded on 27 January 2015 at the UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration at Parliament.
Originally for year 10 and 11 students, the Paul Seideman Holocaust Essay Competition grew into the Paul Seideman Annual Composition Prize, with students from Years 7 to 13 submitting entries in a variety of formats to answer the questions posed, awarded in three categories - Years 7-8, Years 9-10, and Years 11-13.
HCNZ is honoured to carry on Paul's legacy and continues to administer this competition, which annually engages hundreds of students across the nation in Holocaust education, and has now become the Paul Seideman Scholarship.
As a young Czech Jew, Paul managed to survive the Lodz Ghetto, several concentration and labour camps, including Auschwitz, and a death march, during World War II. He was liberated at Dachau, aged 17. After liberation, Paul emigrated to Australia and then New Zealand. Sadly, Paul's mother and father died in the Lodz Ghetto in 1941 and 1942, respectively.
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Soviet Army on 27 January 1945, and to encourage students in Aotearoa New Zealand to engage in Holocaust studies, Paul funded an annual Holocaust essay competition for secondary students, administered by the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. This was established in 2014, as a 500-word essay on “The Holocaust and its lessons for New Zealand”, and inaugurally awarded on 27 January 2015 at the UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration at Parliament.
Originally for year 10 and 11 students, the Paul Seideman Holocaust Essay Competition grew into the Paul Seideman Annual Composition Prize, with students from Years 7 to 13 submitting entries in a variety of formats to answer the questions posed, awarded in three categories - Years 7-8, Years 9-10, and Years 11-13.
HCNZ is honoured to carry on Paul's legacy and continues to administer this competition, which annually engages hundreds of students across the nation in Holocaust education, and has now become the Paul Seideman Scholarship.
For more information on this or any other educational activities of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand please contact the Centre's Education Director, Kris Clancy at [email protected]
