Holoc. Donaueschingen 16x24 14/10/03 11:25 Page 1 emember moireMemoi ireRememMémoir moireRem Teaching about the Holocaust and the history of genocide The Council of Europe has forty-five member states, covering virtually the entire continent of Europe. It seeks to develop common democratic and legal principles based on the European Convention on Human Rights and other reference texts on in the 21st century the protection of individuals. Ever since it was founded in 1949, in the aftermath of the second world war, the Council of Europe has symbolised reconciliation. Donaueschingen, Germany, 6-10 November 2000 eaching about the Holocaust and the history of genocide in the 21st century – Donaueschingen, Germany, 6-10 November 2000 eaching about the Holocaust and the history of genocide in the 21st century – Donaueschingen, Germany, T ISBN 92-871-5292-6 9 789287 152923 http://www.coe.int Council of Europe Publishing €15/US$25 Council of Europe Publishing Editions du Conseil de l’Europe Teaching about the Holocaust and the history of genocide in the 21st century 90th European Teachers’ Seminar Donaueschingen, Germany, 6-10 November 2000 Report Council of Europe publishing Cover design: Graphic Design Workshop, Council of Europe Council of Europe Publishing F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex ISBN 92-871-5292-6 © Council of Europe, September 2003 Printed at the Council of Europe The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 to achieve greater unity between European parliamentary democracies. It is the oldest of the European political institutions and has 45 member states1 including the 15 members of the European Union. It is the widest intergovernmental and interparliamentary organisation in Europe and has its headquarters in Strasbourg, France. With only questions relating to national defence excluded from the Council of Europe’s work, the Organisation has activities in the following areas: democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, media and communication, social and economic affairs, education, culture, heritage and sport, youth, health, environment and regional planning, local democracy and legal co-operation. The European Cultural Convention was opened for signature in 1954. This international treaty is also open to European countries which are not members of the Council of Europe, and enables them to take part in the Council’s programmes on education, culture, sport and youth. So far, 48 states have acceded to the European Cultural Convention: Council of Europe’s full member states plus Belarus, the Holy See and Monaco. Four steering committees – the Steering Committee for Education, the Steering Committee for Higher Education and Research, the Steering Committee for Culture and the Steering Committee for Cultural Heritage – carry out tasks pertaining to education and culture under the European Cultural Convention. They also maintain a close working relationship with the conferences of specialised European Ministers for education, culture and the cultural heritage. The programmes of these four committees are an integral part of the Council of Europe’s work and, like the programmes in other sectors, they contribute to the Organisation’s three main policy objectives: 1. Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom. 3 – the protection, reinforcement and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms and pluralist democracy; – the promotion of awareness of European identity; – the search for common responses to the great challenges facing European society. The education programme of the Steering Committee for Education and the Steering Committee for Higher Education and Research currently covers school, out-of-school and higher education. At present, there are projects on education for democratic citizenship, history, modern languages, school links and exchanges, educational policies, training for the educational staff, the reform of legislation on higher education in Central and Eastern Europe, the recognition of qualifications, lifelong learning for equity and social cohesion, European studies for democratic citizenship, the social sciences and challenge of transition, learning and teaching in the communication society, education for Roma/Gypsy children in Europe and the teaching of the Holocaust. These multilateral activities are complemented by targeted assistance to the newer member states in bringing their education systems in tune with European norms and best practice. Co-ordinated under a strategy of “partnerships for educational renewal” projects are carried out, in particular on education legislation and structures, citizenship and history teaching. The priority regions are Southeast Europe and countries sprung from the former Soviet Union. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Council of Europe nor that of the Secretariat. All correspondance concerning this report or the reproduction or translation of all or part of the document should be addressed to the Director General of Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe (F – 67075 Strasbourg, Cedex). 4 Table of contents 1. Introduction ...............................................................................7 2. Expert contributions..................................................................8 a. Why and how to teach about the Holocaust and Mechanisms which lead to genocide, Jean-Michel Lecomte, CRDP ........................................8 b. German History 1933-1945 as reflected in Anglo- American literature of the present Gunther Volk ...............................................................14 c. Visits of memorial sites, Hildegard Vieregg, Member of the German Task Force ...........................................................................17 d. The use of oral testimonies concerning the Holocaust, Karen Polak, Anne Frank Foundation .....................20 e. The use of modern technology and archives, Pierre Chauve ...........................................................24 f. Kristallnacht Ernest Kolman.............................................................24 3. Endnote ...................................................................................26 4. Appendices..............................................................................27 I. Lecture by Jean-Michel Lecomte ............................................27 II. Lecture by Gunther Volk.........................................................73 III. Lecture by Hildegard Vierregg................................................97 5 Recommendation Rec(2001)15 ........................................................ 119 Declaration by the European ministers of education ........................ 133 6 1. Introduction The In-Service Training Programme for Educational Staff on “Teaching about the Holocaust and the history of genocide in the 21st century” took place in Donaueschingen, Germany, between 6 and 10 November 2000. It was attended by 28 educationalists, all of whom were teachers, or in occupations allied to teaching. Also present were seven experts, two Council of Europe representatives, the pedagogical adviser from the Donaueschingen Academy and the general rapporteur. The educationalists, who were mainly high school teachers of history, were drawn from eight European countries although the majority came from Germany. The opening session on Monday evening was an informal affair designed to welcome participants to the Academy and help them get to know one another. A convivial atmosphere prevailed which set the pattern for the week. The main business of the seminar, however, began on Tuesday morning with Ms Carole Reich introducing participants to the work of the Council of Europe. She spoke briefly about the history of the Council, its membership and its most important bodies – the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Parliamentary Assembly and the inter-governmental experts. She then referred to three major projects that the Council has initiated in recent years one of which is concerned with “Learning and teaching about the history of Europe in the 20th century”. Among other things, this project (which culminates in a conference in Bonn in March 2001) aims to produce teaching packs on nationalism, women, the cinema and the Holocaust. In connection with the latter, Ms Reich alluded to the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust held in January 2000 and attended by many of the world’s Prime Ministers and Heads of State. She recalled the Council of Europe’s last seminar on teaching the Holocaust which took place in Vilnius in April 2000 and commented on the recent gathering in Crakow of European ministers of education who agreed to request their respective governments to select a day to remember the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity. 7 2. Expert contributions: Why and how to teach about the Holocaust and mechanisms which lead to genocide a. Jean-Michel Lecomte Jean-Michel Lecomte, commissioned by the Council to produce the teaching pack on the Holocaust restricted himself to reading selected extracts as copies of his paper,