TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST
Why Teach the Holocaust?
Teaching the Holocaust is one of the most rewarding teaching and learning experiences that can take place in a class room. However, it is essential that the topic is taught appropriately, accurately and with suitable provision for the age of the students.
The key is: don’t be afraid to tackle the Holocaust as part your teaching programme. It’s a critical human story that informs both our past and present. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) consider that through the effective teaching of the Holocaust, students can come to realise that:
As educators, we need to teach the what before we embark on the why or how. For students at any level to make sense of the Holocaust, they need a solid grounding in facts and accurate history. The best way to do this is through evidence – using a variety of artefacts and primary sources to clearly show the facts of what happened and to emphasise the human story.
Australian Holocaust educator, Zvi Civins, recommends starting with at least one lesson on the Jews: What are Jews? Why were the Jews oppressed? Who else was oppressed? How do the Jews fit into broader European history?
Civins also emphasises the importance of students understanding such key terms as: “genocide”, “Holocaust” and “anti-Semitism”. Students must have a solid grounding in these terms before they can effectively engage with the history.
Do’s and Don’ts of Holocaust Teaching
Yad Vashem (www.yadvashem.org) has an excellent website, and essential reading for understanding the essential ‘do’s and don’ts’ of Holocaust teaching.
These include:
Teaching the Holocaust is one of the most rewarding teaching and learning experiences that can take place in a class room. However, it is essential that the topic is taught appropriately, accurately and with suitable provision for the age of the students.
The key is: don’t be afraid to tackle the Holocaust as part your teaching programme. It’s a critical human story that informs both our past and present. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) consider that through the effective teaching of the Holocaust, students can come to realise that:
- Democratic institutions and values are not automatically sustained, but need to be appreciated, nurtured and protected.
- Silence and indifference to the suffering of others, or to the infringement of human rights in any society can—however unintentionally—perpetuate problems.
- The Holocaust was not an accident in history: it occurred because individuals, organisations and governments made choices that not only legalised discrimination, but also allowed prejudice, hatred - and ultimately - mass murder to occur.
As educators, we need to teach the what before we embark on the why or how. For students at any level to make sense of the Holocaust, they need a solid grounding in facts and accurate history. The best way to do this is through evidence – using a variety of artefacts and primary sources to clearly show the facts of what happened and to emphasise the human story.
Australian Holocaust educator, Zvi Civins, recommends starting with at least one lesson on the Jews: What are Jews? Why were the Jews oppressed? Who else was oppressed? How do the Jews fit into broader European history?
Civins also emphasises the importance of students understanding such key terms as: “genocide”, “Holocaust” and “anti-Semitism”. Students must have a solid grounding in these terms before they can effectively engage with the history.
Do’s and Don’ts of Holocaust Teaching
Yad Vashem (www.yadvashem.org) has an excellent website, and essential reading for understanding the essential ‘do’s and don’ts’ of Holocaust teaching.
These include:
emphasise the humanity
At all times, try to give a human face to all involved: perpetrators/victims/ bystanders/rescuers.
modern history
Emphasise that the Holocaust took place in modern times and in modern societies.
jewish youth
Teach students about the 'youth' in the Holocaust: who were the Jewish youth? What are the similarities and differences between them, and the youth of today?
'choiceless choices'
Present the idea of 'choiceless choices' – Holocaust victims faced many moral dilemmas or choices, which were not really 'choices' at all.
process of history
Focus on the process of how the Holocaust unfolded – not just the outcomes.
language
The Holocaust has a unique language, often expressed through primary sources. Also note the “language” of the Nazi’s ‘Final Solution’.
The return to life
The stories of survivors and their transition to daily life after the Holocaust - especially in Israel.
perpetrators, bystanders, resisters, rescuers - what separated them?
Resisters, for example, were noted as having higher 'emotional intelligence'. What does this actually mean?
View a video about the Perpetrators
View a video about the Perpetrators
teach safely
Teachers need to present the Holocaust in a safe, age-appropriate way.
“Safely in...Safely Out” is a key philosophical concept of teaching the Holocaust. It means that when you teach the topic, you need to focus on the stories and peoples’ journeys. Avoid the numbers, the gore and a ‘shock and awe’ approach.
Telling the stories before, during and after the Holocaust helps students live the event and better understand the victims, by-standers and perpetrators.
What it means, in practice, is guiding students through a challenging topic and ensuring they come out safely on the other side with understanding, compassion and knowing they’ve had their questions answered on the topic.
“Safely in...Safely Out” is a key philosophical concept of teaching the Holocaust. It means that when you teach the topic, you need to focus on the stories and peoples’ journeys. Avoid the numbers, the gore and a ‘shock and awe’ approach.
Telling the stories before, during and after the Holocaust helps students live the event and better understand the victims, by-standers and perpetrators.
What it means, in practice, is guiding students through a challenging topic and ensuring they come out safely on the other side with understanding, compassion and knowing they’ve had their questions answered on the topic.
"Meaning is not gleaned from piles of bodies or statistics....but rather in the individuals, families and communities that were each worlds in and of themselves.
This is what people can empathize with. This is what they can take with them into their own lives."
Shulamit Imber, Pedagogical Director of the International School for Holocaust Studies, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem
This is what people can empathize with. This is what they can take with them into their own lives."
Shulamit Imber, Pedagogical Director of the International School for Holocaust Studies, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem
Where to begin
The key to teaching an effective unit on the Holocaust is to focus on its evolution - after placing all the groups involved into historical context (i.e. 20th century European history, particularly German history).
Zvi Civnis recommends a 4-stage sequence for teaching a narrative of the Holocaust:
The teaching ideas and unit plans on our website are based on the philosophy and sequence proposed above.
Further Teaching Guidelines
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website has an excellent set of guidelines to assist with teaching the Holocaust:
USHMM Guidelines for Teaching about the Holocaust
The pedagogical approach for teaching the Holocaust by Yad Vashem’s Director of International School for Holocaust Studies, Shulamit Imber, is also invaluable reading:
The key to teaching an effective unit on the Holocaust is to focus on its evolution - after placing all the groups involved into historical context (i.e. 20th century European history, particularly German history).
Zvi Civnis recommends a 4-stage sequence for teaching a narrative of the Holocaust:
- Identification
- Killings in the East
- Camps
- The Final Solution.
The teaching ideas and unit plans on our website are based on the philosophy and sequence proposed above.
Further Teaching Guidelines
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website has an excellent set of guidelines to assist with teaching the Holocaust:
USHMM Guidelines for Teaching about the Holocaust
The pedagogical approach for teaching the Holocaust by Yad Vashem’s Director of International School for Holocaust Studies, Shulamit Imber, is also invaluable reading:
