Erinnerungsspuren folgen
A workshop programme for primary schools
Erinnerungsspuren folgen (Following traces of memory) is based on the educational programme designed by Ephra in collaboration with the Anne Frank Centre for the exhibition I said, ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ in the Paul Löbe Haus of the German Bundestag.
The school workshops
The three-hour workshops Erinnerungsspuren folgen are aimed at Berlin primary school classes in grades 4 to 6 and focus on the life stories of five jewish children who were saved from Nazi persecution by the so-called ‘Aktion Kindertransporte’ (1938/39).
The pupils visit five spatially separated stations in small groups: Kindertransporte, cohesion, conflict, everyday life and time. The teaching of history is combined with individual biography work to raise awareness of the construction of otherness, everyday discrimination and contemporary conflicts. The content and methods of the workshop were developed by Ephra in dialogue with experts. The aim of the workshop is to convey the history and structure of anti-Semitism in an age-appropriate way.
The five stations
Kindertransporte: multimedia presentation of the historical biographies of Jewish children using suitcases
Cohesion: Strengthening cohesion and caring skills
Conflict: Strengthening one's own conflict skills through mediation and coaching tools
Everyday life: Mapping living environments, everyday discrimination through the so-called ‘Jewish laws’
Time: Understanding time and history, visualising time, locating one's own (family) history
I said, ‘Auf Wiedersehen‘
Heinz Lichtwitz, Copyright © 2023 Yad Vashem – Internationale Holocaust Gedenkstätte. With kind permission of Henry Foner.
The exhibition I said, ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ - 85 Jahre Kindertransport nach Großbritannien took place from 31 January to 23 February 2024 in the Paul Löbe House of the German Bundestag. The exhibition focussed on the initiative to rescue Jewish children and young people from National Socialist violence based on five family stories. In the run-up to the exhibition, Ephra had researched the Kindertransports with pupils and subsequently offered workshops for primary schools in the exhibition in February 2024. From 25 October 2024, the exhibition I said, ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ can be visited at the Baden-Württemberg State Library in Stuttgart.
Materials Erinnerungsspuren folgen
We have put together a range of materials and tools for teachers who would like to attend the workshops Erinnerungsspuren folgen and anyone who would like to find out more about the topic:
Handouts of the Anne Frank Zentrum
The handout Anregungen für lokalhistorische Projekte mit Kindern und Jugendlichen not only provides background knowledge on local history with the help of the biographical approach, but also presents methods and approaches that encourage practical work.
You can download it as a PDF here.
The handout Zum Umgang mit Antisemitismus in der Grundschule provides support material for educators and teachers on how to proactively deal with antisemitism and how to proceed in the event of antisemitic incidents in primary schools.
You can download the handout as a PDF here.
Glossary of the Anne Frank Zentrum
Complicated terms that crop up time and again when dealing with National Socialism and the Holocaust are explained in plain language in the glossary.
You can download the glossary as a PDF here.
Special episode “Was ist Antisemitismus?”
In the special episode Was ist Antisemitismus? of the children's podcast Kakadu, presenter Patricia and editor Ilka Lorenzen explain in dialogue with children and in a child-friendly way how anti-Semitism works and what it does.
You can listen to the episode here.
Short film “Kinder”
The short film “Kinder” (2018, UK, 19 min, English) tells the story of eighty-year-old Ralph, who recalls in flashbacks how he came to England as a teenager as part of the Kindertransporte campaign and fell in love. The screenplay was written by Tom Fry and Janet Eisenstein.
You can watch the film here.
A project by Ephra gUG, funded by the Aktionsfonds gegen Antisemitismus der Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt.
Period: October to December 2024
Artistic concept: Rebecca Raue
Project management and concept education: Malu Blume
Assistance education: Alexa von Senger
Educators: Amelie Mai Gottsmann, Margaux Richet, Katharina Michalsky, Sara Rosenkranz, Tobias Tarnow
Experts: Lukas Geck (Freundeskreis Yad Vashem), Jovana Komnenic (Berlinklusion), Kirstin Broussard (Berlinklusion), Marielle Hermstrüwer, Franziska Kreuzpainter, Sohila Barfi (Spielart.Berlin)
Photos: Michael Bennett, Ephra
Ephra is offering workshop dates in November and December 2024 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 12pm. The dates can be booked via workshops@ephra.de An overview of the bookable dates can be found here. Costs: €3 per child.
