Although world events have shown that the dream of “never again” has not been realized, Ƥ Ǥ We must continue to teach young people about the dangers of silence, the consequences of ơ Ǥ
In New Jersey, Holocaust education has been mandated in our unimaginable loss, transformation and renewal. It’s also a record of public schools for over two decades. The New Jersey Commission how travel can change lives and how shared experiences can bring on Holocaust Education has provided an extensive curriculum for history to life for a new generation. Together, the educators learned educators to use at all levels. Since 1996, the commission has spon- about prejudice and hatred. But they also learned about courage sored a summer seminar trip to some of Europe’s most infamous and determination, gratitude, the need to defend our values and Holocaust sites. protect our institutions, and what it means to step up, rather than Last summer, the group of 30 New Jersey educators visited stand by. Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and the Netherlands. The crew of the NJTV show “Classroom Close-up, NJ” joined those SITES OF THE HOLOCAUST educators in Berlin and Prague. The trip resulted in the new Starting in Berlin, the group visited the Topography of Terror, documentary, “Transformation and Remembrance: A Journey from a museum located next to a portion of the Berlin Wall that was the Holocaust to the Classroom.” It will air on NJTV on Wednesday, preserved. One of the dozens of monuments on the tour included April 8, and be rebroadcast by “Classroom Close-up, NJ” on Sunday, the Block der Fraven (Block of Women) Monument, the site of a May 17. protest in 1943 following the detainment of over 2,000 Jewish men. The documentary, which was produced by NJEA, tells a story of A series of demonstrations by non-Jewish wives and relatives took
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New Jersey resident, Holocaust survivor and tour guide Maud Dahme at Terezin.
place over the next Ƥve days. The men were released in part because how adults deal with the atrocities of the Holocaust and how to the protests were not against the Nazi regime, but the violation of best present this history to children. the Nazi’s own directive not to deport intermarried Jews and mis- The next stop was Grunewald Station. As the group approached chlinge (half Jews). the train station, the educators walked to the tracks where the During the trip the educators took note of the “stumbling numbers of those transported through this station to their deaths blocks” throughout the cities. These shiny brass stones bear the are listed by date. Between October 1941 and February 1945, more names of the victims of the Holocaust. The blocks began as an art than 50,000 Jews were deported to extermination camps from project in 1996, but today more than 22,000 stones in 530 towns Grunewald. and cities across Europe ensure that the names are not forgotten. After leaving Berlin, the bus traveled to Terezin or Theresienstadt The inscriptions include the victims’ dates of birth and death and Concentration Camp located northwest of Prague. In 1780, this city the concentration camps in which they perished. served as a fortress to protect Prague from invaders. Hitler told the The beauty of Wannsee Villa is oơset by its cruel history. In early world that he built the city to protect the Jews from the stresses of 1942, senior oƥcials of Nazi Germany met there for only 90 minutes the war. A propaganda Ƥlm was made to show this idyllic city where to plan the Final Solution. The objective was to deport most of notable musicians, writers, artists and leaders were sent for their the Jews in German-occupied Europe to Poland and then murder own safety. In reality, of the Czech Jews who were taken to Terezin, them there. A secondary goal of their meeting was to deƤne who nearly 98,000 died, including 15,000 children. The elders were sent was Jewish and to determine the scope of the murders. As the New immediately to the gas chambers while the younger inmates who Jersey educators sat in the room where the meeting was held, Maud still could work were temporarily spared. The Nazis brought politi- Dahme, a New Jersey resident, Holocaust survivor and tour guide, cal prisoners to this place—never to emerge again. Here, as in other explained that she was to be among those planned to be murdered. camps, you see a sign that reads Arbeit Macht Frei (work makes one For the Ƥrst time in the history of the tour, the New Jersey free). teachers met with German teachers to get their perspective on teaching about the Holocaust. This gathering took place at THE LESSONS Löcknitz Primary School, built where a Jewish synagogue once For the Classroom Close-up crew, the tour ended in beautiful stood. The playground is decorated with a wall of artifacts from the Prague, where the oldest synagogue still in use in Europe stands synagogue. The teachers were joined by survivors and a journalist. not far from the Old Jewish Cemetery, which dates from the 15th The thought-provoking discussion included honest reƪection on century. But the documentary does not end here. Upon returning
30 NJEA REVIEW Old Jewish Cemetary, Prague
Stolperstein or stumbling stone, Prague
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
A German teacher speaks about preparing lessons on the Holocaust. from the trip, the educators gathered their notes, their photos and New Jersey State Board of Education, was recently inducted into their memories to develop enhanced lessons on the Holocaust. the New Jersey Hall of Fame. As Holocaust survivors, they are com- Back in New Jersey, Classroom Close-up visits Michelle Myers and mitted to ensuring New Jersey’s children never forget about the her colleagues Lauren Maunz and Mimma-Marie Cammarata at Holocaust and that they recognize their responsibility to prevent Sterling High School in Somerdale where they teach a lesson on violence and injustice. what it means to “step up,” rather than “stand by” as onlookers. The commission oơers extensive resources for the classroom, “The silence, indiơerence and anti-semitism of ordinary people including downloadable lesson plans. In addition to materials on led to the Holocaust,” Myers explains. “I believe it is more impor- the Holocaust, the commission oơers a 9Ȁ11 curriculum and lesson tant than ever to build a positive culture for diversity and accep- plans on slavery, genocide, human rights, tolerance, respect and tance of others by encouraging student advocacy in the classroom, much more. To learn more, visit ǤǤǤȀ Ȁ the school and the community. caust. “My students are the last generation to have contact with Holo- In addition, “Classroom Close-up, NJ” has featured more than a caust survivors,” continues Myers. “I am passionate about keeping dozen segments related to Holocaust education. Go to classroom- their stories alive and inspiring my students to respect others and closeup.org and search the video library to view the Ƥve-minute become “upstanders” and not “onlookers” and to speak up in the stories. face of hatred and dehumanization of any human being or group Wanda Swanson is an NJEA associate director of communications and of people. the executive producer of “Classroom Close-up, NJ.” She can be reached at “The big question I now ask students,” she concluded, “is not ̓Ǥ. what would you have done, but rather what are you going to do in the face of hatred and bigotry?” CCU documentary to air on NJTV RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS Watch “Transformation and Remembrance: A Journey from the New Jersey is one of only Ƥve states to mandate Holocaust educa- Holocaust to the Classroom” on NJTV on Wednesday, April 8, tion in the public schools. This accomplishment is largely due to at 8 p.m. It will be rebroadcast by “Classroom Close-up, NJ” on the success of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education Sunday, May 17. Go toclassroomcloseup.org and its executive director, Paul Winkler. Commission member for details. Maud Dahme, a longtime member and former president of the
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