Teaching the History of the Holocaust: An Era of Pessimism?

Moscow, October 30. At the "Education as a Means of Countering Antisemitism, Xenophobia, and Racism" session of the "Protecting the Future" conference, participants discussed the critical issues of teaching Holocaust history, the cultural code of antisemitism, and xenophobia in world literature. They also reviewed leading European and Russian practices in educational initiatives aimed at countering antisemitism, xenophobia, and racism.

The session moderator, Haim Ben-Yakov, Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, outlined the core challenge for the speakers: "Antisemitism yields devastating consequences that dismantle the culture and daily life of nations. How did European civilization permit the attempted mass annihilation of an entire people, and how should contemporary Jewish society relate to the memory of this historical era? How do we communicate this to children?"

Addressing the question, Alexander Asmolov, Head of the Department of Personality Psychology at Lomonosov Moscow State University, noted: "First, we must understand the underlying causes of antisemitism, Caucasophobia, and Armenophobia. What cultural codes underpin these phenomena, and is it possible to alter them? Only after analyzing the cultural mechanisms of antisemitism and xenophobia can we initiate a recoding process. This must be built on the principles of tolerance—not merely defined as 'religious forbearance,' but as a 'standard of supporting diversity and valuing the other.'"

Identifying the cultural codes of antisemitism proved straightforward. Olga Karasik, Professor at Kazan Federal University, provided several examples of how negative Jewish stereotypes are constructed in classic world literature, pointing to works by W. Shakespeare, C. Dickens, H. de Balzac, J. Joyce, and E. Hemingway. Through an analysis of these texts, she demonstrated that the negative portrayal of these characters was primarily structured around their ethnic origin.

Professor Paul Levine stated: "We are currently navigating a critical and complex period for Holocaust education. Five years ago, I was somewhat optimistic, but now I feel pessimistic. The history of the Holocaust is not being successfully transmitted across generations." He highlighted two key challenges in Holocaust education: first, the growing public fatigue regarding the theme of the Jewish genocide; second, the difficulty of conveying emotion in pedagogical settings. "How can we communicate the anguish of parents who lived in terror of their children sharing the fate of death camp prisoners?"

Professor Ildiko Barna supported the emphasis on emotional education. She argued that in the digital age, academic dissemination of knowledge is losing its primacy, as factual information is readily accessible online. Consequently, it is far more critical to "teach students to critically analyze, select, and evaluate information." A primary challenge of modern education is the transfer of emotions and skills rather than raw data. However, Professor Barna did not share Professor Levine's pessimism, citing her own successful teaching practice as evidence of effective Holocaust education. Furthermore, Professor Levine himself had previously noted the success of a Holocaust-related book that reached a circulation of millions in Sweden.

The presentations by OSCE representative Ilan Cohn and Olga Gorskikh focused on best practices in educational projects combating antisemitism and xenophobia. Ilan Cohn detailed OSCE publishing initiatives designed to provide practical guidance for teachers and students on addressing incidents of antisemitism and xenophobia. Olga Gorskikh presented a successful project that established 42 ethno-cultural education centers within the municipalities of the Tomsk Region, fostering a barrier-free cultural and ethnic environment in the region.

Among the recommendations for the future, Alexander Asmolov proposed moving away from a passive adaptation to global risks, suggesting that the next conference be titled "Constructing the Future" rather than "Protecting the Future."