Escorting Educational Excursion to National Shrine Memorial - Union Assertion: School outing to Nazi memorial was well supervised
School Excursions to Memorial Sites: A Valuable, but Carefully Planned Learning Experience, According to Education Trade Union GEW
A visit by school groups to a memorial site is seen as beneficial and educational by the German education trade union Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW), but only when thoroughly prepared and followed up. The Hessian GEW chair, Thilo Hartmann, additionally highlighted alternative educational methods to teach about the Holocaust within a classroom setting, such as visiting or even researching 'stumbling stones' - memorial markers laid in front of homes where NS victims once lived, providing students a chance to delve into their biographies.
On a cautionary note, Hartmann cautioned against assuming that a memorial site visit alone would sufficiently inform students about the nature of the Holocaust and the unjust NS state, fostering a democratic mindset. Mandatory memorial site visits for all classes are not considered beneficial, neither by GEW nor, to Hartmann's knowledge, by most memorial sites themselves.
Recently, an antisemitic incident took place at a school in Gießen, where the Abitur motto, a graduation theme, was found to involve possibly offensive ideas. The police are currently investigating the case for suspected incitement.
Memorial Site Visits Recommended, but Not Mandatory
While visits to memorial sites for victims of the NS regime are not a required part of the curriculum, the Hessian Ministry of Culture emphasized that cooperation with institutions of remembrance culture is essential, and such visits are highly recommended. Memorial sites serve not only as learning spaces but also as places of commemoration, reflection, and mourning, offering students a tangible and experiential understanding of history.
Seven memorial sites in Hesse, four dealing with the NS past, receive funding and support from the ministry, with teaching staff deployed for educational purposes. These memorial sites include Hadamar, Breitenau, Trutzhain, Stadtallendorf, and the Anne Frank educational center.
The GEW advocates for educational activities promoting critical thinking and social awareness, often regarding visits to memorial sites as valuable learning experiences. For more specific information on GEW's role in organizing such school trips or their recommendations, consult official GEW publications or contact their local Frankfurt chapter directly. They may offer advice on planning trips that align with educational objectives and maintain respect for the sites and their histories.
Vocational training in community policy, focusing on education-and-self-development and learning, could incorporate the values learned from visits to memorial sites, such as those in Hesse, as a means to understand history and promote social awareness. However, the German education trade union, Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW), emphasizes that these visits should be part of a comprehensive vocational training program, including follow-up discussions and research activities.
