House of the Wannsee Conference

SEMINARS FOR TRAINEE TEACHERS AND TEACHERS

The House of the Wannsee Conference offers supplementary training to trainee teachers and the teaching staff of a school or of one of its departments.
One aspect of these seminars is the question of how to study history at a historical site. The building and its history as well as the educational opportunities are presented and discussed in detail. The expectations that participants may have in connection with their visit to the Memorial Site, as well as their possible misgivings and fears, can be discussed and related to the various possibilities offered by the House of the Wannsee Conference. On this basis, the participants can then decide whether they would consider a visit with their students to the Memorial and Educational Site meaningful. The planning of a visit to the Memorial Site is thoroughly discussed, including the following elements:

• the appropriate working approaches for the group concerned,

• the choice of particular topics,

• a discussion of the particular educational opportunities available at the House of the Wannsee Conference,

• a discussion of how to plan for a visit,

• useful follow-up activities.

An additional objective of the seminars is to reflect on how National Socialism is dealt with at schools, and then to investigate which changes are both necessary and possible within the educational framework. This does not merely mean discovering and discussing new findings and theses of historical investigations. Starting with the question of what can be achieved by discussing National Socialism in class, didactic reflections are raised and concepts developed. In the process, the age of the pupils and their prior acquaintance with the subject matter will have to be considered, particularly in conjunction with their prevailing attitudes. Any discussion must take into consideration how to deal with the defensive attitudes of some pupils, with their possible aversion to the subject matter, but also with the fascination which National Socialism holds for other pupils, and not only for those who see themselves as right extremists. The possibility of countering widespread historical untruths and attempts to relativise National Socialist crimes could provide another focal point of attention for working groups.

Success or failure of the seminars depends on the extent to which the participants articulate their interests and also contribute their prior experiences. That is why the focal points of attention should be agreed upon beforehand. Any discussion of National Socialism cannot be simply restricted to the acquisition of historical knowledge. This is an educational task which cannot be left exclusively to history and political science classes. 

For this reason, educational courses are offered to teachers of other fields as well, such as German, music, art, sports, biology, and also for teachers of vocational training in various subjects. During these seminars specific topics and approaches relevant to the various school subjects are presented as well as methodological ideas for interdisciplinary programmes.
Furthermore, suggestions for long-term projects are made which will enable students to study aspects of National Socialism independently, to gain deeper understanding while investigating local history and biographies, and also to discover new questions that might be investigated. The staff members also provide information to facilitate contact with other relevant institutions.