Building History

During the Shoah countless human beings were murdered. In Europe the sites of killing are usually also the places of institutionalized memory. With the passing of survivors there is a risk that the events may fall exclusively into the domain of history. At stake is also an understanding of such terms as Kristallnacht, because language filters experience. Since only the survivors know the reality of evil, direct testimony must be emphasized as well as misrepresentation through feature films. The Shoah must also be faced in schools. Educators write of their experience teaching issues related to the Shoah in Austria, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States. The Shoah is also reflected in the graphic arts, music, film, and theatre. Political issues cannot be avoided. The reconciliation between Israelis and Germans was difficult. Pocking in Bavaria may prefer to forget its past. Swiss neutrality is revisited with reference to Swiss financial dealings during the war. The selective recollections of the Einsatzgruppen perpetrators are also analyzed.

This book records a conference, held at Munich and Augsburg, November 8-14, 1997, that brought together educators, academics, artists, and government officials from Austria, Canada, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, and the United States.