Té moins dé la 2é Gé né ration a.s.b.l. With the encouragements of the Matanel Foundation 1 2 3 Contents 1. Project Description .............................................................................................................................. 5 2. Statistics (2014-2018) .......................................................................................................................... 9 3. Internet presence of the association ................................................................................................ 10 4. Program 2018 ..................................................................................................................................... 12 5. Workshop Program ............................................................................................................................ 15 6. Participants 2018 ............................................................................................................................... 23 7. Financial Report (2018) ...................................................................................................................... 26 8. Official Rates for participants (2018) ................................................................................................ 27 9. Evaluation and Presence in the Media .............................................................................................. 28 10. Selected Pictures 2018 ................................................................................................................... 38 11. Examples of good practice: Statements of Students .................................................................... 40 12. Examples of good practice: School projects after the trip and Contributions of students ......... 43 Témoins de la 2e Génération a.s.b.l. November, 2019 4 1. Project Description “Témoins de la 2e Génération” a.s.b.l.: an NGO founded in 2001 1997 has been the “European Year against racism” It was the first time the European Institutions committed themselves to get active in fight against racism. Chaired by Luxembourgish Prime Minister Jacques Santer, one the year’s main objective was the promotion and the exchange of subject related information and best practices. It stressed out the life experiences of people who had been victims of racism, xenophobia and anti-semitism, and the importance of spreading a message of hope to future generations. One of the main action plans has been the promotion and financial support of projects emanating from institutional and associative ONG work. It was in this context that Mr. Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament, organized the first trip to visit the concentration and extermination camps of Auschwitz I+II (Auschwitz-Birkenau). On that first trip 125 students and their teachers from various secondary schools in Luxembourg joined Mr. Goerens. Two years later, in 1999, the non-profit association (association sans but lucratif, asbl) « Témoins de la deuxième génération » was founded. Since then, the association’s board members organize every year at around the same time of the year a visit of the two camps with a large number of students. The board members are without exception working on a voluntary basis The Board President: Charles Goerens, Member of European Parliament Vice-president and secretary: Marc Schoentgen, historian and teacher, President of the Comité Auschwitz Luxembourg, president of the Association luxembourgeoise des enseignants d’histoire (ALEH) Vice-president: Jay Schiltz, journalist and writer Treasurer: Luc Reinesch, historian and teacher Members of the Board: Olivier Bouton, photographer, project manager at the National Resistance Museum Charles Goerens Dimitar Dinev, teacher for German Language and Literature Paul Hammelmann, Lawyer Thierry Hirt, political sciences teacher Julien Joseph, consultant, member of the Comité pour la Mémoire de la 2e Guerre mondiale Henri Juda, consultant, member of the Comité pour la Mémoire de la 2e Guerre mondiale Simone Kayser, history teacher Gianni Mersch, project manager – Uelzecht Kanal (Lycée de Garçons Esch) Kim Schortgen, psychologist, quality management in non-formal learning, member of the Board of the René Oppenheimer Foundation 5 Frank Schroeder, director of the National Resistance Museum, member of the Board of the René Oppenheimer Foundation Danielle Schartz, teacher for German Language and Literature Simone Thill, history teacher Juliette Willinger-Rass, teacher for English Language and Literature (ret.) Ceremony at the Memorial Plaque at Auschwitz-Birkenau © Témoins de la 2e Génération 6 Target public The main target groups are 16-year-old students from Luxembourgish secondary schools. Each school can bring up to 12 students plus 2 teachers, which makes approximately 120-140 students, accompanied by 20 teachers. Furthermore, we are also open towards groups from schools across the borders. Since recent years, students from the Max Planck Gymnasium – Trier (D) and the University of Luxembourg have come along. Since 2018, we invite institutions of non-formal education (Maison de Jeunes, Foyer de Jeunes) to participate at the program. Program Since the first trip to the concentration and extermination camps of Auschwitz I+II (Auschwitz- Birkenau), organized by Mr. Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament, the association’s board members organize every year a visit of the two camps with 120-135 students, accompanied by approximately 20 teachers. During the bus journey, the students watch movies and documentaries related to the subject of the war and the Shoah in order to introduce them slowly and gradually to the subject they will be immersed into during the following 4 days. The visits to the concentration and extermination camps Auschwitz I (Stammlager) and Birkenau accompanied by highly trained guides of the Auschwitz Memorial, are completed by the plenary discussions with the survivor of the camps. For the moment we are working with one survivor, Mr. Paul Sobol from Brussels. Furthermore, additional workshops have been added to the program. The complete program is added to this document. Last but not least, the last day visit of Krakow has its very own importance, as while walking through the streets where the victims walked and lived, the latter become more real, they finally are turned into individuals of flesh and blood, making their existences and the respective lives they led before the sky came crashing down on them more vivid. All the while, the visit of the great city of Krakow shows the students that Poland is not only a country marked by misery, death and terror, but that it had existed before and after, and that it can proudly stand for itself with a rich history and culture. Acting against Antisemitism Beyond the educational work, the association Témoins de la 2e Génération a.s.b.l. wants to act against all forms of discrimination, racism and antisemitism. We see ourselves as a part of the Luxembourg civil society. Therefore, we are associating ourselves with other associations and NGOs to be a voice against any form of antisemitism. In 2018 several associations raised their voice against antisemitic slogans. 7 Communiqué published in October 2018 https://www.wort.lu/de/politik/des-actes-inadmissibles-5bc45417182b657ad3b95e1b 8 2. Statistics (2014-2018) 1997-2018: ➢ 31 different institutions (schools, university and other educational institutions) took part in the program “Témoins de la 2e Génération” ➢ 246 groups visited the Auschwitz Museum and met the witnesses of the Shoah ➢ about 3100 participants, 3000 coming from educational institutions, learned about the History of the Shoah and Jewish Culture ➢ roughly 1 Million € was invested in the project ➢ volunteer work by members of the association: approx.600 hours p.a. - corresponding to 15 working weeks of volunteering for planning, implementation, evaluation, administration, communication 2014-2018: Year Groups Participants (participants from target groups) 2014 13 150 (131) 2015 12 157 (131) 2016 12 160 (138) 2017 14 144 (112) 2018 13 162 (137) TOTAL 64 790 (649) 9 3. Internet presence of the association Homepage www.temoins.lu Donator’s Page on www.temoins.lu 10 Facebook Presence of Témoins de la 2e Génération a.s.b.l. with 800 Followers 20th Anniversary of Témoins de la 2e Génération and Presentation of the Project at Auschwtz - Reportage Uelzecht Kanal (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9whF4MdGzS0 11 4. Program 2018 The trip During the bus journey, the students watch movies and documentaries related to the subject of the war and the shoah in order to introduce them slowly and gradually to the subject they will be immersed into during the following 4 days. The visits to the concentration and extermination camps Auschwitz I (Stammlager) and Birkenau accompanied by highly trained guides of the Auschwitz Memorial, are completed by the plenary discussions with the survivor of the camps. Furthermore additional workshops have been added to the programme (participation not compulsory). The last day the group stops in the city of Krakow before starting the return trip. Students from Luxembourg at Auschwitz-Stammlager, in front of the Death Wall © Témoins de la 2e Génération 12 Program run (2018) Vendredi Arrivée à Oswiecim/Auschwitz (après-midi) Présentation du témoin M. Paul Sobol Activités pédagogiques (Workshop session) Samedi Visite d’Auschwitz I (Stammlager) Cérémonie de commémoration au mur des fusillés Discussion avec les témoins, rescapés