Far away and nearby: Holocaust remembrance and human rights education in Switzerland

Abstract

The article considers how young people in Swiss schools are taught about the history and background of the Holocaust within the wider perspective of human rights education, as an important basis for education concerning democratic citizenship. Given the country's specific history, for decades the Holocaust was not a matter of great interest in Swiss schools, or a topic that pupils often learned about as a part of their own history. Recently, however, sensitivity about historical incidents and the processes of the Third Reich has increased. Holocaust education has also become more important in the context of Swiss state institutional policy and non-governmental initiatives and has also become an issue in schools. This article includes an overview of relevant Swiss history and the current political situation, and a review of Swiss educational policies and especially of activities related to Holocaust remembrance and human rights education.

As the Witnesses Fall Silent: 21st Century Holocaust Education in Curriculum, Policy and Practice

“…The resource book for educators from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM 2001 ) claims that "Structured inquiry into Holocaust history yields critical lessons for an investigation of human behaviour… [and] addresses one of the central tenets of education in the USA, which is to examine what it means to be a responsible citizen" (p. 1). Teaching effectively about the Holocaust, and the important lessons it offers regarding humanity and responsible citizenship (Schwag and Wackerlig 2010 ;: Supple 1998a, 1998b, is challenging for teachers of any grade Schweber 2008 ;. High school teachers are often limited to a two-week unit in a crowded curriculum with multiple classes of students (Short 2000 ).…”

Holocaust education: global forces shaping curricula integration and implementation

“…Political attitudes toward the memorialization of the Holocaust in Latin America (Chyrikins and Vieyra 2010) Europe (Bastel, Matzka, and Miklas 2010;Cowan and Maitles 2010;Frankl 2003;Milerski 2010;Salmons 2003;Santerini 2003;Schlag and Wäckerlig 2010) and the USA (Ben-Bassat 2000) provide an opening for advancing democratic processes, human rights, and HE. Organizations such as the IHRA have served a catalyzing role in supporting Holocaust-related projects in schools and communities around the world (van Driel 2003).…”

“…In addition, HE in Switzerland also wrestles with questions about the nation's economic collaboration with the Nazi regime. Schlag and Wäckerlig (2010) contend that as Swiss students undertake critical consideration of their nation's role in the Holocaust, 'there is undoubtedly a growing sense of a need for HE also in connection with human rights education, although further concrete implementations are needed' (229). In the Czech Republic, AFH and Czech partners have collaborated since 2001 on a major initiative to support the use of Holocaust history to promote tolerance (Frankl 2003).…”

“…Numerous scholarly articles have been published within the past two decades that detail the emergence of Holocaust Education (HE), and the challenges associated with such curricula across the globe (Bastel, Matzka, and Miklas 2010;Ben-Bassat 2000;Chyrikins and Vieyra 2010;Cowan and Maitles 2010;Frankl 2003;Milerski 2010;Nates 2010;Polak 2010;Salmons 2003;Santerini 2003;Schlag and Wäckerlig 2010;Shoemaker 2003;Wegner 1995). These scholars provide insights into the potential benefits, obstacles, driving motivations, and complexities associated with the integration of Holocaust studies.…”

Teaching about the Holocaust: Major Educational Predicaments, Proposals for Reform, and Change—An International Perspective

“…He considers teaching the Holocaust as a violation of human rights as positioning the Holocaust as the context for other goals, and as such, it is liable to have elements of Holocaust denial. Schlag and Wackerlig (2010) argue that teaching the Holocaust should be performed as part of studying civics and religious education, since the theological roots of hatred of Jews must be examined, on the one hand, and the motives for the church's collaboration with the Nazis must be explored, on the other. They believe that Switzerland is committed toward creating peace in Europe.…”