Dutch educators tackle Holocaust teaching challenges as survivor voices fade
Teachers and experts gathered in The Hague to improve Holocaust education amid disappearing eyewitnesses and rising digital misinformation. The conference provided tools to help educators address sensitive topics like antisemitism and historical distortion in classrooms.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Working Conference on Holocaust Education |
| Date | March 25, 2026 |
| Location | Sociëteit De Witte, The Hague |
| Organizer | National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism (NCAB) |
| Key Speakers | Wojciech Soczewica (Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation), Willem Wagenaar (Anne Frank House), Adriaan van Dis (Loe de Jong Lecture) |
| Workshop Topics | Scapegoating, hiding stories, Holocaust denial, international examples |
| Outcomes | Support center, annual campaign, and website "Learn About the Holocaust" |
| Target Audience | Education professionals, policymakers, social partners |
The National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism (NCAB) plays a key role in promoting Holocaust education and countering antisemitism in the Netherlands. This conference aligns with its mandate to equip teachers with resources and strategies to address historical atrocities and their modern-day implications.
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Working Conference on Holocaust Education in The Hague Focuses on Teaching Practice and Knowledge Transfer
On Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the Working Conference on Holocaust Education was held at Sociëteit De Witte in The Hague. Education professionals, experts, policymakers, and social partners gathered to exchange knowledge and experiences about Holocaust education and its place in the curriculum.
The central question was how teachers can address the Holocaust in a careful and meaningful way in the classroom, at a time when eyewitnesses are disappearing and societal and digital contexts are changing.
The Last Generation of Survivors
Wojciech Soczewica, director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, discussed the transfer of knowledge about Auschwitz in the period after the last generation of survivors. Willem Wagenaar of the Anne Frank House addressed Holocaust education in times of change. In his contribution, he emphasized that teaching about the Holocaust, in addition to remembrance, also requires historical context, analysis, and reflection on exclusion, perpetration, and democratic rule-of-law values.
Workshops on Relevant Themes
The workshops further explored themes from educational practice. Topics included scapegoating mechanisms, stories of people in hiding, Holocaust denial and distortion, and international examples of Holocaust education. The sessions provided participants with an opportunity to share experiences and discuss teaching approaches.
First Loe de Jong Lecture
During the conference, the first Loe de Jong Lecture was delivered by Adriaan van Dis. With this lecture, the National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism introduces an annual moment of reflection on the enduring significance of the Holocaust and the importance of teaching about it.
NCAB: “As a society, we will only remain resilient against antisemitism if we enable every teacher in the Netherlands to provide quality Holocaust education. The strong demand for practical tools was once again evident in the responses from attending teachers. We will incorporate their input into further strengthening our offerings, including through a support center, the annual campaign, and the website Learn About the Holocaust.”