In 2021 the integration was carefully prepared – now it is complete: Since 1 January 2022 the former association _erinnern.at_ has been part of the OeAD – Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation. From now on the two players in the Austrian education system will join forces to advance Austrian Holocaust education. Under the umbrella of the OeAD _erinnern.at_ will in future be the programme for teaching and learning about National Socialism and the Holocaust and promote the transfer of historical and methodological-didactic knowledge and the reflection on its significance for the present just like before.
Barbara Weitgruber, head of section at the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), emphasises: “The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research supports the integration of _erinnern.at_ into the federal education agency OeAD. At the same time it is important that an independent perspective remains strongly integrated through _erinnern.at_’s scientific advisory board,” says Weitgruber.
The programme _erinnern.at_ promotes the further development of Holocaust education both in Austria and internationally. _erinnern.at_ is active in all Austrian federal provinces and involved in national and international cooperation. Besides _erinnern.at_’s well-known educational offers and focal points, such as continuous professional development of teachers, the promotion of exchange with surviving witnesses and the development of learning materials, _erinnern.at_’s integration enables numerous points of contact with other fields of work and programmes of the OeAD. These include digital learning and cultural and science education.
Martina Maschke and Manfred Wirtitsch, chairpersons of the former association _erinnern.at_, are convinced of the added value of the integration as a programme of the OeAD: “It is of enormous importance that we strongly anchor Holocaust education in education so that future generations will not forget. With the integration of the association into the OeAD our activities are sustainably secured. What is more, within the larger OeAD organisation interfaces to other fields of education can be used in a beneficial way.”
“The OeAD programmes connect people and institutions in education, science, research and culture. At this interface the OeAD’s tasks and expertise meet those of _erinnern.at_. Together we want to further advance the work for the national and international culture of remembrance and secure it for future generations,” emphasises the OeAD’s managing director Jakob Calice.
Patrick Siegele will be in charge of the programme at the OeAD as of 1 January 2022. He emphasises: “The implementation of the national strategy against anti-Semitism will be a special challenge in the coming years. The education agency OeAD will help to spread _erinnern.at_’s mission even further”.
