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Edition 10/2024
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Dear Readers,"I can't believe I have to experience something like this again", said the 92-year-old Holocaust survivor Zvi Cohen on October 7, immediately after the Hamas attack on Jews in southern Israel. This day marks the most brutal antisemitic mass murder since the Shoah, genocidal violence, sexualized crimes, and the re-traumatization of many Jews. Support for survivors, for an emergency Jewish-Arab center and for internally displaced persons are at the heart of the fundraising campaign of Network Israel. This is a joint initiative of the New Israel Fund Deutschland e.V. and the EVZ Foundation. In an interview, Maja Sojref, Executive Director of NIF, explains how we are working together to build bridges between German and Israeli civil society – and the amount of agitation the network is facing in the process. Despite the escalation of the armed conflict in the Middle East originating from Hamas and other terrorist groups, a global rise in hatred, particularly against Jews, has been witnessed since then. Numerous people affected have experienced attacks, exclusion and indifference instead of solidarity. Antisemitic terror is omnipresent – in synagogues, schools, kindergartens and during the commute to work. Unfortunately, the findings are unambiguous: antisemitism is part of our entire society, and we will have to fight it systematically. That is precisely what we are doing with our funding program "Building Structures for Combating Antisemitism."Why not join us soon? For more information, please refer to our newsletter. Dr. Andrea Despot CEO of the EVZ Foundation
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
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Building Structures for Combating Antisemitism
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Working together against antisemitism: The EVZ Foundation's funding program aims to establish targeted contact people for antisemitism prevention in institutions. Ranging from sports and the working world to the media, culture and civil society. Funding is provided for the setup, expansion and enhancement of institutional action and intervention skills. Specific, feasible and skilled: the establishment of contact points, further education and training measures for members and employees, and the drafting of codes of conduct. Last chance: submit your project application by October 15, 2024.
We look forward to your ideas!
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Find out more
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EVZ CONVERSATIONS
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Reflecting on Historical Responsibility?
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To date, only a few companies have addressed their history during the National Socialist era. However, more and more companies are now seeking new ways to confront their past – especially in light of the growing threat to our democracy from right-wing extremist parties. Therefore, on October 8, 2024, the EVZ Foundation, in cooperation with the Hans and Berthold Finkelstein Foundation, invites you to a discussion with experts: Why is historical responsibility still not a matter of principle today? How can companies contribute to the culture of remembrance, and what potential does this hold? What are the best practice examples?
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Register now and join the discussion
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DEBATE
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The inaugural Tony Judt Lecture on Europe: Charles King on political ideas in the 21st century
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Nearly 75 years ago, philosopher and historian of ideas Isaiah Berlin lamented that decision-makers had abandoned the effort to answer the fundamental questions of how to live together. Is this perspective still relevant today? How can democrats in Europe and the United States renew their visions of political and social life amidst global crises and threats, and tackle these challenges together? On September 20, the Brookings Institution in Washington hosted the first Tony Judt Lecture on Europe. The event featured a keynote lecture by Charles King, followed by a panel discussion on political ideas in the 21st century.
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Watch online now
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CINEMATIC HIGHLIGHTS
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It's fall: Let's go to the movies!
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Check out our social media channels for the latest movie recommendations to enjoy during the upcoming cold season. In "Treasure", Holocaust survivor Edek (Stephen Fry) travels to Poland with his daughter Ruth (Lena Dunham) for the first time, uncovering the legacy of their Jewish family. The movie explores the transgenerational transmission of traumas caused by the Third Reich.
In "Lee", we follow the life of war correspondent and photographer Lee Miller, whose pictures documented the liberation of the German concentration camps. "Verity Circle" tells the story of two sisters who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp as children. Additionally, our CEO, Dr. Andrea Despot, will join Sandra Maischberger and Andres Veiel to discuss the documentary "Riefenstahl". What makes this documentary unique is the filmmakers' unprecedented access to the Riefenstahl estate.
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Find out more about #EVZonScreen!
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LOCAL.HISTORY
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Holocaust Mass Graves
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Are you familiar with the term "dispersed Holocaust"? The cultural studies scholar Roma Sendyka uses the term to describe an often-forgotten aspect of National Socialist mass murder: around a quarter of all European Jews were murdered by the Germans and their collaborators near their homes, away from the death camps. In cooperation with the German Historical Institute Warsaw, an interdisciplinary team from the universities of Warsaw and Łódź is researching the countless nameless mass graves of the Holocaust in south-eastern Poland. The project "Holocaust Mass Graves", funded by the EVZ Foundation and the Zeit Foundation Bucerius, is developing a web portal with an interactive map showing the sites of mass graves and linking them with information on their history and current state.
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Now discover more blind spots with our annual theme #WatchOutHstory
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Civil society
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Funding for Belarusian civil society
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The EVZ Foundation responded swiftly to the escalation of the Russian attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, by creating a Solidarity Budget of 800,000 euros to support the work of civil society in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. One of our key local partners is the Belarusian exile organization BYSOL. Founded in 2020 in response to the brutal repression of democratic civil society in Belarus, BYSOL operates from Vilnius, working to empower young Belarusian initiatives and activists in the fields of human rights and the culture of remembrance. Currently, projects from Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Georgia, and Germany can apply to BYSOL for funding.
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Find out more 
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Antisemitism
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Done with Learning? Antisemitism-critical Education at the Workplace
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How will antisemitism-critical look like after October 7, 2023? Would you like to join us in developing educational services for adults and discussing the potential and challenges of antisemitism-critical education in the workplace? Register now for the workshop and networking day of the project "Informed, Courageous, Committed! A Joint Initiative Against Antisemitism." Memorial sites, associations, NGOs, trade union organizations, and other providers of antisemitism-critical education are invited to network and enhance their qualifications.
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Check out the program and register now
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Barely two and a half years after the escalation of the Russian attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the threat of targeted Russian fire remains a harsh daily reality for Ukrainian civilians. Among other impacts, Ukraine's power supply has been severely damaged in recent months.
Without power, there is no light, no internet, and no access to clean water. Thanks to numerous donations, the Aid Network for Survivors of Nazi Persecution in Ukraine delivered urgently needed emergency lights and aid to 400 survivors in July. Partner organizations in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Donetsk, Kryvyi Rih, Mykolaiv, Pereyaslav, and Rivne distributed the lights to survivors of National Socialist persecution, a few of whom can be seen in the photo.
The elderly are among the most vulnerable groups during wartime. Many survivors of National Socialism in Ukraine are in their 80s and older, facing significant health and financial challenges. With winter approaching, our local partners report that the emergency aid provided by the Aid Network for Survivors of Nazi Persecution in Ukraine has become more critical than ever. Due to their precarious financial situations, many survivors, affected by old-age poverty, are forced to make impossible choices between food and medication.
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We've got a podcast recommendation for you: Why another podcast? The answer is simple: "Chaya's Talk" offers something truly unique. Hosted by Jill Strüber, a German Sinti, and Taisiya Schumacher, a Roma from Russia, this video podcast blends empowerment and education with humor, as the hosts describe it: "Empowerment and education, but in a rather funny way."
Strüber and Schumacher skillfully balance heavy, painful topics with humor and optimism. They discuss the perspectives and realities of Sinti and Roma in Germany and across Europe – touching on their culture, everyday lives, and experiences of exclusion. "Chaya's Talk" often centers on the voices of women from the Sinti and Roma communities, presenting topics in an intersectional context while highlighting other marginalized perspectives. The podcast also features guests from politics, culture, and contemporary history. Agnes Laubinger, a survivor of National Socialist persecution, shared her story and her enduring courage, while actress Thelma Buabeng discussed her experiences with racism in the German entertainment industry.
"Chaya's Talk" is a project by the Niedersächsischer Verband Deutscher Sinti e.V. (Association of German Sinti of Lower Saxony), supported by the EVZ Foundation and the Freudenberg Foundation as part of the funding program "Strengthening Equal Participation and Self-Organizations of Sinti and Roma in Germany," based on the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Antigypsyism.
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Maja Sojref, Executive Director of New Israel Fund Deutschland e.V.
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Next week marks the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups on Israel, which became the deadliest assault on the State of Israel since its founding. The conflict has continued ever since, with war ongoing to this day.
Network Israel supports survivors of the terror of October 7, Shoah survivors and their families, as well as an emergency Jewish-Arab center. The New Israel Fund also organizes emergency humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. What might a Jewish-Arab partnership in times of war look like?
Jewish-Arab initiatives in Israel, such as "Standing Together," have been actively working to foster empathy for civilians on both sides of the conflict since the terrorist attacks on October 7 and the onset of the war in Gaza. Their message is clear: only a shared perspective that acknowledges the needs of both Israelis and Palestinians can bring lasting peace and security.
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What does the support look like? Read more!
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Since 2019, there have been more than 1,000 right-wing attacks on memorials across Germany. One alarming trend stands out: memorial sites and their staff in Thuringia have been specifically targeted by right-wing extremists. Recently, the director of the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation, Prof. Jens-Christian Wagner, received threats. Following the state elections, the EVZ Foundation emphasized the growing importance of solidarity and support for those in Thuringia, Saxony, and beyond who are engaged in educational efforts and the fight against hatred, right-wing extremism, and historical revisionism, often facing hostility for their work.
In response, we support the project "Geschichte statt Mythen" (History Instead of Myths), which aims to debunk historical revisionist myths, trace their origins, and provide updated analyses of right-wing extremist symbols and rhetoric. Additionally, we back the initiative "Weltoffenes Thüringen" (Cosmopolitan Thuringia), which brings together numerous associations, institutions, and companies across society to advocate for a more open and inclusive Thuringia.
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Publication
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Unentbehrlich. Solidarität mit Betroffenen rechter, rassistischer und antisemitischer Gewalt (Essential. Solidarity with victims of right-wing, racist and antisemitic violence)
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The book delivers an urgent message: solidarity with those affected by right-wing, racist, and antisemitic violence is essential! This anthology amplifies the voices of individuals who provide advice, support, and intervention for those impacted across Germany, working collectively to foster recognition and awareness. It brings together a diverse range of perspectives from fields such as academia, activism, counseling, and culture, creating a comprehensive view of the efforts to combat such violence.
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Read now
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Podcast
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Springerstiefel. Die 90er sind zurück (Springerstiefel [army boots]. The 90s are back)
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The second season of "Springerstiefel," hosted by Hendrik Bolz and Don Pablo Mulemba, tackles pressing questions about the rise of right-wing extremism in eastern Germany since the post-reunification period. Why are so many young people once again turning to right-wing ideologies? And did the violence ever really disappear? In this season, they explore these issues by speaking with individuals deeply affected by the resurgence of extremism. They meet a woman from Zittau whose son has become a right-wing extremist and hear the story of the daughter of a Vietnamese contract worker, who faced neo-Nazi hostility in Cottbus during the 2000s.
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Listen now
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How do democracies die? What happens the next day if populists win elections? Who does the AfD’s concept of the nation exclude, and what scenarios of discrimination are conceivable?
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October 9, digital
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Communicators meeting: Hate catalyst TikTok? This is what we communicators can do!
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When it comes to the spread of far-right narratives, antisemitic stereotypes, and conspiracy theories, one platform stands out particularly negatively among young adults: TikTok. In its ad hoc report "The TikTok Intifada," the Anne Frank Educational Center outlines action options for educators and communicators, while also addressing demands to politics, society, and the platform itself. After an introduction by the author of the study and Head of Communications at the Anne Frank Educational Center, Eva Berendsen, we invite you to discuss this and more: How do you deal with the dilemma that the platform with the greatest reach among young audiences is also the most toxic?
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Register for the mailing list of the communicators meeting
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November 7, Berlin
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Never again is now? Commemoration of the November pogroms in the face of rising antisemitism
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On the night of November 9-10, 1938, thousands of Germans looted, vandalized, and destroyed synagogues, Jewish businesses, homes, and schools throughout the German Reich. At least 30,000 Jews were arrested, and hundreds were murdered. The EVZ Foundation and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom are commemorating the victims with this joint event. We ask ourselves: How can we counter the growing threat of antisemitic hatred and violence today? And what role do education, remembrance culture, and civil society play in this effort?
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Register for our event mailing list and receive the invitation!
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November 19, 6:30 PM, weimar
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Forced labor - A history of National Socialist crimes in Europe
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The Museum Forced Labor Under National Socialism opened in Weimar in May 2024, presenting, for the first time, a comprehensive account of National Socialist forced labor as a German mass crime that impacted the entire European continent. How can this crime be remembered in its full European dimension? What does this mean for us today? In the face of revisionism and the relativization of National Socialist crimes, these questions are more relevant than ever. In cooperation with the Museum Forced Labor Under National Socialism, the EVZ Foundation invites you to join a discussion with experts.
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Join us now in person or digitally!
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| NEWSLETTER 11/2024 |
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| Our next edition will be published at the beginning of November! |
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| Coming up at the beginning of November, you can look forward to news from the projects of the Education Agenda NS-Injustice. We take a look back at the networking meeting and inform you about two newly launched theme and web portals! |
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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
www.stiftung-evz.de
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Responsible:
Dr. Andrea Despot
Editorial:
Katrin Kowark, Sophie Ziegler, Antonia Skiba, Jana Bültge, Sonja Folsche, Sarah Keller, Thomas Stein
Image Credits:
BYSOL, Chaya’s Talk, Ljudmila Sukovata (Hilfsnetzwerk für Überlebende der NS-Verfolgung in der Ukraine), Maja Sojref |
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