ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Birkenwald
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Birkenwald. Forest of Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the ruins of crematory V in the background. In German, Birkenau means “stand of birch trees.” Ethel Buisson took this photograph as she followed in the footsteps of her grandfather, Srul Ruger, who died in Auschwitz in 1942. Her trip was published in 2014 in the journal Tenou’a. 1 An in-depth work that is more essential than ever Currently, Europe is experiencing a resurgence of anti-Semitism. This disturbing reality is due to an increasingly violent and vociferous minority. The association of disparate movements under the banner of anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories should be a warning. Ridiculed and even denied, the Shoah has been exploited with this hate speech, which shamelessly tramples on the memory of the victims. This dangerous excess is unacceptable; fortunately, it has been widely condemned by public authorities and society at large. Faced with this reality, the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah intends to pursue the in-depth work it began 13 years ago: education, based on a knowledge of history and action that refuses any “competing memories,” combined with public vigilance. Schools are crucial to this work, and I would like to congratulate the many teachers who, with their students, pursue productive pedagogical initiatives every year. The year 2013 was also marked by two projects, which the Foundation is particularly proud to have supported. The first is the memory site inaugurated in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, a place that presents the history of the Vivarais Plateau, whose residents sheltered hundreds of Jews fleeing the persecutions of the war.
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