Oral History activity – International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
Objectives of the Activity
On 27 January, commemorative ceremonies with the motto “#WeRemember” are held worldwide in memory of the victims of the holocaust. In order to maintain the culture of remembrance in Passau, Gemeinsam Leben und Lernen in Europa (GLL) and the youth organisation “Gemeinsam Aktiv” collaborated with the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the local bar “studio12”.
The main objective of the activity was to give the victims of the holocaust a voice.
Description of the activity
The remembrance event took place at 6 pm at the holocaust memorial in Passau. Members of the participating organisations and the general public were invited.
In the official opening of the commemoration, we read out a message that was developed during our international workshop that took place just before the event: “It is not my fault what happened. But it is my responsibility to prevent it from happening again”.
To give holocaust victims a voice, six young people read out quotes from Holocaust survivors. Holding up a photo of them, they shared each story in a few sentences and told the audience why it moved them. Two of the participants from a local school shared the story of Sophie Hartl and Felix Bernheim victims from Passau. After each contribution they put down the photo and a white rose next to the memorial
After the first part, a piece of music was played. Then someone from the DGB gave a speech. At the end, we handed out candles. Everyone could place a candle on the memorial next to the white roses and the photos of the victims.
Afterwards, an opportunity to discuss was provided in the bar next to the memorial.
Number of participants reached/ involved
No. of participants in total:
No. of young people, who participated:
Quote of an involved young person
“It is important that we as a society recognise when our democracy is threatened and it is equally important to stand up for democracy. We also have to deal with the question of how we commemorate when the last witnesses are no longer with us” – Adrian Tadić, volunteer and managing director of studio12
Quote of an involved staff member
“It is frightening how many people believe that National Socialism has nothing to do with them and that one therefore doesn’t have to deal with it anymore. We have to remember and commit ourselves permanently so that history doesn’t repeat itself.“– Perdita Wingerter, managing director
Photos and Videos of the activity
