Educational material

It should be noted regarding the exemplary examples from Austrian school textbooks referred to above that teachers in Austria have freedom of action not only in terms of method but also in terms of the choice of teaching materials. The Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) therefore supports associations such as the Ministry’s Holocaust Education Institute _erinnern.at_ and the Centre for Civic Education polis, which are charged with developing additional teaching materials in relation to particular issues.

The association _erinnern.at_ (www.erinnern.at) is the Institute for Holocaust Education of the BMBWF. _erinnern.at_ promotes the transfer of historical and methodological didactic knowledge along with reflection on its significance for the present. The work of _erinnern.at_ is structured into the following levels:

• at local/regional level the local network coordinators of _erinnern.at_ operate within the individual federal states
• central seminars provide a framework for academic discussions at national level
• aspects of international discourse become apparent within teacher training seminars held in Israel
• in addition, _erinnern.at_ is involved in international research cooperation
• it provides a comprehensive information hub with its website and develops teaching materials

The education centre polis – Politik Lernen in der Schule [Learning Politics in School] (www.politik-lernen.at) is the central organisation dealing with civic education in schools. The principal is the BMBWF, whilst the project sponsor is the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights Polis

• supports teaching staff, schools and non-school educational institutions in providing civic education in all of its facets
• operates as an information hub and a source of advice
• creates new teaching materials
• contributes to European and Austrian discussions on civic education
• emphasises the provision or core and further training to teaching staff

Multi-lingual didactic websites concerning the Roma and Sinti Genocide in 11 languages –for pupils and teachers (www.romasintigenocide.eu and www.erinnern.at)

The association _erinnern.at_ has created the didactic website www.romasintigenocide.eu  along with its European partners. The website contains more than 70 worksheets with information concerning the Roma genocide, biographies of victims and death sites. The long European history of persecution of the Roma and Sinti is also considered, showing up racist continuities.

Teaching material on www.romane-thana.at

Through the project www.romane-thana.at the BMBWF, working in conjunction with the association Romano Centro, is providing an important impetus to the Austrian Roma strategy. The project enables Austrian schools to gain a greater insight into the everyday lives of Roma and Sinti and their history and stories. The materials offer numerous suggestions for engaging with the issue within teaching. The aim is to create awareness of the centuries of discrimination against Roma/Romnja and Sinti/Sintize and to help to break down prejudices. The teaching material has been developed for usage in year 5 and above and can be used in many variant forms, in particular in the subjects History and Social Studies/Civic Education, Geography and Economics or German, as well as on an inter-subject basis. The issue of the Roma Genocide is dealt with in particular in the chapters “Persecution and the Holocaust” and “Remembering and Forgetting”.

Exhibition – touring exhibition “darüber sprechen” [“talking about it”] (www.erinnern.at/bundeslaender/oesterreich/lernmaterial-unterricht/ausstellung-darueber-sprechen)

The touring exhibition “talking about it” conceived of by _erinnern.at_ was designed in particular for schools. In 2016 the exhibition was open for visitors at 32 schools, and demand continues to be strong.

“talking about it” is based on interviews with 14 contemporary witnesses as well as expert texts. An exhibition display board is dedicated to the Roma and Sinti Genocide. Particular prominence is given to Auschwitz survivor Franz Rosenbach. A QR code enables a video interview with Franz Rosenbach to be viewed. The back of the board includes a short interview with a Sinti family from Upper Austria.

Youth non-fiction books from the series “Nationalsozialismus in den Bundesländern” [“National Socialism in the Federal States”]

(9 volumes) commissioned by www.erinnern.at (www.erinnern.at/bundeslaender/oesterreich/lernmaterial unterricht/publikationen/nationalsozialismus-in-den-bundeslaendern

The nine volumes in the non-fiction series “National Socialism in the Federal States” engage with the most important issues relating to National Socialism within the individual Austrian provinces based on the latest research. Short biographies illustrate people’s behaviour as well as the consequences of National Socialist politics for individual people. The numerous images provide not only illustrations but also complement the text substantively. The books are directed above all at young readers, but also at interested adults: as reference works, but also for use within school teaching and adult learning. The series is published by Dr Horst Schreiber (_erinnern.at_ network coordinator for Tirol) on behalf of _erinnern.at_.

In 2012 the volume “Nationalsozialismus im Burgenland” [“National Socialism in Burgenland”] was published as volume two in the non-fiction series, which contains a chapter on the Roma and Sinti Genocide.

In May 2017 the volume “Nationalsozialismus in Wien” [“National Socialism in Vienna”], the eighth in the non-fiction series, was published. This volume contains a separate chapter on the Roma and Sinti Genocide.

DVD “Das Vermächtnis” [“The Legacy”], interviews with contemporary witnesses (www.erinnern.at/bundeslaender/steiermark/termine/prasentation-der-dvd-201edas-vermachtnis201c-interviews-mit-zeitzeugen)

The DVD “The Legacy” contains stories of survivors collected by the “USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education” in Los Angeles. A working group made up of professional historians, educators and video experts has selected 13 interviews (specific to Austria) and prepared them for usage within school teaching.

Teaching material “… ein Mensch ist ein Mensch – Rassismus, Antisemitismus und sonst noch was …” [“… a man’s a man – racism, antisemitism and whatever else ...”] (www.erinnern.at/bundeslaender/oesterreich/lernmaterial-unterricht/antisemitismus)

Racism and antisemitism involve exclusion. People are disparaged and portrayed as the enemy. There are many forms of exclusion and disparagement; everyone will have experienced this in life. The course booklet and online materials deal with issues and questions that affect everyone. Young persons of various origins and religions have discussed their experiences of antisemitism, racism and homophobia, as well as more generally exclusion and disparagement. Their opinions and insights constitute the core of the course booklet. This booklet was inspired by the didactic materials for combatting antisemitism produced by the Anne Frank House (Amsterdam) and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR) working with partners in 13 European countries. As part of this project, each country focused on a specific task. _erinnern.at_ built on these experiences and developed a new concept for Austria on behalf of the BMBWF, working in conjunction with the Anne Frank House and the ODIHR.

The magazine “polis aktuell 2019: Roma in Österreich. Emanzipation einer Volksgruppe” [Roma in Austria. Emancipation of an Ethnic Group] – (www.politik-lernen.at/pa_romainoesterreich)

The current issue of the magazine polis aktuell, which is published by the centre polis, deals with the history and contemporary situation of the Roma and Sinti in Austria. The issue was prepared jointly with representatives of the Roma ethnic group – enabled by financial support from the BMBWF.

• Romano Centro (2015). Romane Thana – Orte der Sinti und Roma, Unterrichtsmaterialien
• Baumgartner Gerhard , Bibermann Irmgard, Ecker Maria, Sigel Robert (2013), The Fate of European Roma and Sinti During the Holocaust, Teachers Manual, Erinnern.at.
• Caritas (2013). Roma Lernunterlage
• Zentrum Politik Lernen in der Schule (2013). Soziale Ausgrenzung, Fokus Roma in Österreich, Polis aktuell
• ROMBASE (2005). Curriculum Rombase Pedagogics.
• ROMBASE (2005). Handbook.
• ROMBASE (2005). Literature, Films, and Links.
• Bruchfeld, S. et al. (2000). Erzählt es euren Kindern: der Holocaust in Europa. München: C. Bertelsmann. [Original in Swedish]
• Stojka, K. (1992). The Story of Karl Stojka: A Childhood in Birkenau: exhibition at the embassy of Austria, April 30 to May 29, 1992: catalogue. Washington, DC: United States Holocaust Memorial Council.