German Students Confront the Holocaust
- Students at an all-German school discussed their nation's dark past with an elderly Holocaust survivor at an Anne Frank exhibit
- The high school students expressed deep, personal guilt for the actions of their country
- The overarching message - German children should not feel ashamed for the actions of their grandparents 75 years ago.
“It’s something we always have to deal with, that our country did something like that,” said Julia Vogt, a 10th grader. “I feel proud to be German, but we can’t say it that way because of what happened.”
“The kids are not responsible, but it’s their legacy, so how to do it in a way that it’s not shoved down their throats so they don’t feel guilty,” is the way the challenge was stated by Donna Cohen, the center’s executive director.
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