Fourteen young people from Darmstadt and the surrounding district are studying Nazi crimes
Fourteen young people from Darmstadt and the Darmstadt-Dieburg district participated in a five-day educational trip to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. During the trip, they intensively studied the history of the former concentration camp, the crimes of National Socialism, and the importance of a living culture of remembrance.
The memorial site visit was jointly organized by the Darmstadt Youth Council and the Darmstadt Youth Education Center. This collaborative project has now taken place for the third time.
Confronting persecution and remembrance
During their stay, the young people participated in an educational program at the memorial site. The focus was on the different groups of prisoners in the former concentration camp and the life stories of individuals who were imprisoned there.
Furthermore, the participants explored how discrimination persisted beyond the end of Nazi rule. Other topics included compensation issues and the development of the culture of remembrance after 1945.
The program also included a visit to the special exhibition about the Dachau trials, in which crimes from the Nazi era were legally dealt with.
The importance of remembrance work was emphasized
Mayor Barbara Akdeniz welcomed the young people's interest in engaging with history. "They not only gain knowledge for themselves, but can also pass it on to their families, friends and acquaintances, thus contributing to the culture of remembrance," she explained.
Aaron Becker, chairman of the Darmstadt Youth Council, also emphasized the importance of such educational programs. Young people must contribute to keeping the memory of the crimes of National Socialism alive.
In light of current political developments, it is particularly important to consciously confront the past and counteract any relativization of Nazi crimes, Becker said.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/acl)
