Germany’s Education Minister Advocates for Compulsory Visits to Concentration Camp Memorials in School Curriculum
Germany’s Federal Minister of Education and Research, Karin Prien, has emphasized the importance of incorporating visits to concentration camp memorials into the school curriculum. In an interview with the Funke Media Group, Prien stressed that such visits should be part of a well-planned and well-taught lesson, as mere visits without context would be of little value.
Priens’ remarks were prompted by the need to educate young people about the dangers of extremism and the importance of empathy. She believes that visits to concentration camp memorials can help students develop a deeper understanding of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and the ways in which the Nazi regime’s brutal policies unfolded.
The minister also emphasized the significance of exploring the personal stories of victims and survivors, as well as the importance of engaging with the experiences of their descendants, not just those from Israel, but also from Central and Eastern Europe. Prien believes that such encounters can help students better comprehend the devastating consequences of the Holocaust and the importance of promoting democratic values.
However, Prien also cautioned that simply visiting a concentration camp memorial without a solid educational foundation would not automatically create anti-fascists or democrats. Instead, she believes that a well-designed and pédagogically sound approach is essential to ensure that such visits have a lasting impact on young people.