Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust

The Holocaust was the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and murder of Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. A continent-wide genocide, it destroyed not only individuals and families but also communities and cultures that had developed over centuries. The Holocaust occurred in the context of Nazi-led persecution and murder that targeted many additional groups. Sessions and activities should always help learners to advance their knowledge about this unprecedented destruction and preserve the memory of persecuted and murdered individuals and groups. Educators and learners should be encouraged and empowered to reflect upon the moral, political and social questions raised by the Holocaust and their relevance today.

Benefiting from the expertise of delegates from more than 30 member countries, the IHRA Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust are intended to provide a basis for policymakers, practitioners, and educators that will help them:

1. Develop knowledge of the Holocaust, ensuring accuracy in individual understanding and knowledge and raising awareness about the possible consequences of antisemitism;
2. Create engaging teaching environments for learning about the Holocaust;
3. Promote critical and reflective thinking about the Holocaust including the ability to counter Holocaust denial and distortion;
4. Contribute to Human Rights and genocide prevention education.

Download the full IHRA Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust here.