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| EDITION 02/2024 |
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Dear Readers,
Nadija Slesarewa passed away on December 31, 2023. Born in 1930, she survived Stalinist terror as well as the Holodomor, deportation by the German authorities, National Socialist terror in the Stutthof concentration camp, NS forced labor and the stigmatization as an "enemy of the people" of the Soviet Union after World War II. In 2022, Nadija Slesarewa had to flee Kyiv for Germany with her family because of the Russian attacks.
As a historical eyewitness of National Socialist crimes, she fought for the commemoration of NS forced laborers until her death, supported by her daughters. We still had an opportunity to talk to Nadija Slesarewa about her moving life story at our Foundation in November last year. We were deeply touched by the fact that, despite experiencing violence and injustice, she tirelessly bore witness to her fate and appealed for humanity.
What does the death of historical eyewitnesses imply for our culture of remembrance and the fight against racism and exclusion today? In this newsletter, we explain how we use the hashtag #WeRememberEveryday to present the biographies of survivors of National Socialist persecution (not only) on important days of remembrance. We also report on the people behind the EVZ Foundation's projects and partner organizations that support survivors of National Socialism on site despite the pandemic and wars. After all, around 245.000 Holocaust survivors are still here, as shown in a new study by the Jewish Claims Conference – and they have a lot to tell us concerning the present!
You can also read: Dr. Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, talks about security, curiosity and empathy on the anniversary of the deadliest antisemitic attack in Germany since 1945.
Discover examples of commitment and new funding programs in this newsletter, and carry on being active with us.
Dr. Andrea Despot
CEO of the EVZ Foundation
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| SURVIVORS OF NATIONAL SOCIALISM |
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| #WeRememberEveryday |
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| As a child, Leonid Berezin experienced the blockade of Leningrad – he witnessed one of the most severe German war crimes. The Wehrmacht's siege of Leningrad was intended to systematically starve its population. Approximately one million deaths were caused in this way. Today, Leonid Berezin is committed to remembering the victims of the German occupation. He founded the association "Lebendige Erinnerung" [Living Memory] and works to ensure that survivors can share their stories and that the horrors of National Socialist terror on the territory of the former Soviet Union are named and documented. Under the hashtag #WeRememberEveryday, we will regularly present perspectives from survivors and important anniversaries in 2024! |
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Dicover more stories now  |
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| CALL FOR APPLICATIONS |
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| YeMistechko – a place for everyone |
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| The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is having a massive impact on Ukrainian society. The destruction of archives, libraries and museums serves to erase Ukrainian culture, Ukraine's own identity as well as the historical memory. With our new YeMistechko funding program, we are supporting local educational and cultural institutions that shape and influence social life as encounter places – and in this way counter Russian terror with something that preserves and supports a sense of community. The focus is on places for internally displaced people, repatriates, veterans, minorities and survivors of Nazism that invite people to meet and exchange, or are trying to establish themselves for this purpose. |
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| Apply now up to March 17 |
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| LOCAL.HISTORY |
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| Audible eyewitnesses to the crimes |
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| How can the German genocide of the Roma be addressed? What crimes were committed by German authorities during the Porajmos in western Ukraine? And how are these crimes remembered at the locations today? Despite the Russian war against Ukraine, the staff of the "Porajmos in Transcarpathia" museum have spent months traveling across the region to record the experiences of historical eyewitnesses and their descendants. This project which is funded by the EVZ Foundation is now also assisting with the integration of Ukrainian internally displaced persons. Visit the online museum now and discover the new module on Roma musicians and their experiences of persecution! |
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Discover the online museum now  |
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UNTERSTÜTZUNG FÜR DIE UKRAINE
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#StopptDieVerschleppung [#BringKidsBackUA]
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How can Europeans support Ukrainian children affected by Russian deportations? How can perpetrators be held to account? In the episode "Uprooted – Children in War: Strengthen Victims, Punish Perpetrators" of our EVZ Conversations! event series in September 2023 the experts discussed these and other questions. Something became clear: More attention needs to be paid to these crimes! Vitsche e.V. organizes events and discussions in a variety of ways relating to those affected and their return. With the support of the EVZ Foundation, a social media campaign has now been launched against the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia: #StopptDieVerschleppung - #BringKidsBackUA!
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Find out more about Russian crimes now 
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HUMAN RIGHTS
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Solidarity with LGBTIQ activists
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At the end of last year, the international LGBTIQ movement was declared an "extremist organization" by Russia's Supreme Court. Supporters of the movement face long prison sentences. Human rights activists in Russia are therefore facing huge challenges: The work of our Foundation's partners, such as ILGA-Europe, is being made impossible and is even criminalized! Together with ILGA-Europe, the EVZ Foundation stands in solidarity with activists who are under threat. Our priority is the safety of our partner organizations' employees. We will not stop fighting for the equal dignity and equal rights of everyone - for example by constructing exile structures and the strengthening LGBTIQ self-organizations in Europe.
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Read the statement from ILGA-Europe now
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SINTI AND ROMA
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Fighting against online hate speech together
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There are countless antigypsy comments, snaps, tweets and posts on the internet – and the hateful content may well be a precursor to hostility and violence in analog life. With the project "Challenging Digital Antigypsyism in the Czech Republic", the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) together with the partner organizations Romea and Forum for Human Rights has campaigned for the prosecution of online hate speech against the Roma in the Czech Republic. The aim of the project was to collect especially drastic cases of online hate speech and to bring them before the courts. With success: Ten cases are currently being heard in court. Would you like to find out more?
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Read the project report and political guide showing how to counter hate speech
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| ONLINE-MAGAZIN |
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| Shaping the future of civil societies |
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The photo shows Allahyar Rahimov, Kifayat Hasanova, director Rana Giyasly, project manager Gulara Azimzada as well as cameraman Aghaly Sadirly during the making of the documentary film "Memories Untold". Nane Khachikyan from Armenia and Gulara Azimzada from Azerbaijan met in Tbilisi at the MEET UP! Youth Conference in 2022. They decided to investigate how the deadly and long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan affects the everyday lives of local people. The directors were not held back by the Azerbaijani military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh that forced thousands of people to flee in September 2023. "Memories Untold" shows the connections between past and present, peace and war, neighborhood and friendship with sensitivity.
In our MEET UP! Online Magazine, we introduce you to these and other committed people behind the successful and innovative projects of the MEET UP! Youth for Partnership funding program. Read numerous examples of how courageous young people in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are making the present and the future a bit better! |
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| Find out more about the people behind the MEET UP! projects now |
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#WeRemember means: Actively remembering the Jews murdered in the Holocaust and sending a clear signal today – against antisemitism, racism and hatred. This message was shared by Dr. Andrea Despot (Chief Executive Officer of the EVZ Foundation), Dr. Josef Schuster (President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany), and Dr. Felix Klein (Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism) after the Federal Press Conference on January 25.
Prior to this, the three guests reported on the consequences of Hamas's terrorist attacks on Israel in October 2023 for Jews living in Germany. There has been a drastic rise in antisemitic attacks and the threat to Jews has increased massively - on both the analog and digital levels.
What can we do about this? Follow the conference in the stream and find out why Felix Klein is calling for a reform of the incitement-to-hatred paragraph 130 of the German Criminal Code, why Josef Schuster continues to consider far-right antisemitism to be the greatest threat, what the EVZ Foundation has set up together with its partners in response to October 7 and why the German political party “AfD” cannot be an electable alternative. |
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Watch the conference now and join the discussion  |
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| Chaber, Executive Director for ILGA-Europe |
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In many parts of Europe, the LGBTIQ community is under increasing and severe pressure. In Russia, the international LGBTIQ movement has even been classified as an "extremist organisation". What is the best way to support the community right now?
Russia has been a challenging context already, but it’s important to note that this decision of the Russian Court is unprecendeted and poses real threats to LGBTI organising. We will surely be seeing a degree of migration, and any support offered to those to wish to relocate – resources, visas – will be precious, but we also need to remember that the vast majority of activists will remain in the country and continue their work, especially the work on supporting communities. Philanthropic, political and non-governmental actors must remain committed to calling out violations and supporting LGBTI groups and organisation in Russia with financial and other resources, because they will continue their work, even in the mist high-risk circumstances. ILGA-Europe will also continue its support and engagement. |
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| Read the whole interview now |
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| February 17 is the anniversary of the arson attack on the building of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria at Reichenbachstraße 27. It was the "heart of the Jewish community", explains Dr. Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community. Residents of the Jewish retirement home and external guests were staying in the building at the time of the attack. Seven people died – all of them survivors of National Socialist terror. "This attack was not only the deadliest antisemitic attack in German post-war history, it also destroyed a place of Jewish life in Munich," says Dr. Knobloch in the interview. The arson attack of 1970 has still not been solved. This heinous act receives hardly any public attention. For our column "No Place for Hate", Dr. Knobloch talks about the aftermath and explains how civil society can support Jews and their communities on site. |
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| dekoder |
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| The war and its victims |
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| The online platform Dekoder.org reports on the German-Soviet War 1941-1945 in a storytelling documentary - ten episodes with ten stories and biographies representing 27 million war victims in the Soviet Union. |
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| Discover now |
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| SPIEGEL+ |
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| Why the producers of a film about Kindertransport [Children's Transport] erased the word "Jewish" |
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| The SPIEGEL reports on the new movie "One Life" which has become a "political issue" because of the production company's questionable choice of words. The film tells the story of Nicholas Winton, who brought Jewish children from Prague to England in 1939 and saved them from National Socialist persecution. |
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| Read now |
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| ARTE |
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| Re: Fashion from Baku - fashion for people with disabilities |
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| Mahammad Kekalov designs clothing for and with people with disabilities. Arte visited him and the models as they prepared for a fashion show in Baku. The project was supported by the EVZ Foundation as part of the MEET UP! funding program. In November last year, Kekalov was arrested together with other Azerbaijani journalists for researching corruption. |
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| Watch the documentary now |
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| FEBRUARY 16, HAMBURG |
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| Musical reading: "Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt" [I’m Walking through Theresienstadt] |
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| As part of the Education Agenda project, pupils and teachers have the opportunity to get to know pieces of music by the composers Pavel Haas and Hans Krása, who were imprisoned in Theresienstadt, as well as texts by the poet Ilse Weber and to look at their historical and cultural value. They will be accompanied by actor Roman Knižka and the OPUS 45 wind quintet. Admission to the musical readings is free. Look out: Further dates in Dresden, Munich, Prague and Terezín will follow in 2024! |
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| Plan your visit now |
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| FEBRUARY 19, BERLIN |
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| Cafe Kyjiw: The future of Ukraine in Europe |
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| What could Ukraine's future in Europe look like? This year, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation is once again organizing the "Cafe Kyjiw" together with the EVZ Foundation as well as numerous other partner organizations. Ten years after the "Revolution of Dignity", the participants in Berlin are giving a message: Ukraine's future is in Europe. |
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| Join the discussion |
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| MARCH 7, 5 p.m., DIGITAL |
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| Communicators' meeting with MrWissen2Go and democ |
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| How can political and social issues be conveyed with film formats? What challenges does this entail? And which ethical questions should guide video production? Discuss these and many other questions with Mirko Drotschmann (MrWissen2Go), Grischa Stanjek and Linus Kebba-Pook (both democ) at the communicators' meeting! The EVZ Foundation's digital networking format is aimed at communicators from memorial sites, foundations and organizations. |
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| Register now |
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NEWSLETTER 03/2024 |
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| Our next edition will be published at the beginning of March! |
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| At the beginning of March, you can look forward to another newsletter on the Education Agenda NS-Injustice: we report on a digital dossier by dekoder on the history of the German war of annihilation against the Soviet Union and on the opening of the "Kulturretter:innen" exhibition in Leipzig. Stay tuned! |
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| All editions at a glance |
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Stiftung Erinnerung,
Verantwortung und Zukunft
Friedrichstraße 200
10117 Berlin, Germany
T +49 (30) 25 92 97-0
F +49 (30) 25 92 97-11
Website |
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Responsible:
Dr. Andrea Despot
Editorial:
Katrin Kowark, Thomas Stein, Sophie Ziegler, Charlotte Detig, Nadine Klück
Image Credits:
Club Dialog e.V.; Daria Korba; porajmos.com; Chris Knickerbocker; Aghaly Sadirly; Kay Nietfeld / dpa; ILGA Europe. |
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The editorial team welcomes your opinion on the newsletter and will be happy to answer any questions. We also help with any issues you might encounter: newsletter@stiftung-evz.de
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| © Stiftung Erinnerung, Verantwortung und Zukunft, 2024 |
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