The project is based on A. Merkel’s observation that ‘each generation has to learn democracy anew’ and extends it: - Developing true European awareness and actively standing up for the ongoing formation of the ‘house of Europe’ are integral aspects of this learning process. - Closely considering the horrors of the history of the National Socialist regime uncovers the valuable, sustainable insight that everything has to be done to avoid such atrocities ever taking place again. - This insight sets free impulses for collaborative and reconciling action. This is why, on the one hand, the project focuses on the Nazi atrocities against people in the four partner countries who, on the other hand, stood up against the destructive, racist and inhuman Nazi ideology and often gave their lives for their courage. Considering both individual biographies of people who opposed the Nazi-regime and the different over-all situation in the four countries during that time will link with our days, for such considerations provide an insight in the importance of standing up for European diversity and experiencing cultural pluralism, especially today, in view of surging radical, racist and nationalistic movements throughout Europe. It is the experience of collectively witnessing and celebrating cultural, social etc. diversity that strengthens opposition to these movements. This will be achieved, among other activities, by exploring european cities as well as uncovering, presenting and discussing different forms of civil commitment that is found in the respective regions and/or countries. In order to do so, 15 students (5 from each visiting school, aged 15-18; grades 10 to 12, plus 2 teachers from each visiting school) will get together with 15 students (plus their teachers) of the hosting school for one week of project work at each school (8 days incl. arrival and departure). The students are chosen according to - their interest in history and commemoration/remembrance work as well as in exploring other European cultures and meeting other Europeans, - their willingness to deal with the atrocities of the National Socialist regime as well as with individual biographies of opponents against the Nazis. - They will make up a timeline of the events in the four partner countries (four steps, put together in the end), - compose narrative texts based on the biographies of the victims, and - visit (concentration camp) commemoration sites. In order to experience European diversity, the students will - live with their host families during the exchange weeks, and - thus gain valuable first-hand insights into the cultures, societies, living conditions and lifestyles of their partners, - collectively explore the history and present of European cities, - uncover, present and discuss several forms of civil commitment of a regional and/or national scale, - and learn about structures of the European Union during a guided tour at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Thus they strengthen - their intercultural, personal and social competences, and - especially their language competences while having to speak English as the only common language, - their civil commitment/courage to stand up by actively experiencing and defending a diverse and yet unified Europe, as well as - their awareness of the importance of democracy and responsibility for a peaceful Europe in the present and the future in dealing with the darkest chapter of history. The products developed during the three weeks of exchange (texts, posters, time line, narrations etc.) will be exposed in all four partner schools and in the end put together and published in a workbook along with paedagogical guidelines (proposals for didactics, methodology etc. on intercultural communication, multinational project work and on the theme of addressing National Socialism) for further use in classes. The topic of civil commitment/standing up for one’s convictions and opposing the National Socialist regime is but one small field of looking back on and reappraising our common European history with the aim of joint reconciliation in order to create and sustain an open-minded and colourful Europe in the present and the future. Therefore, the partner schools aim at continuing their cooperation, dealing with similar topics and possibly with further partners.
The project’s guiding principle was that ‘each generation has to learn democracy anew’ (A. Merkel) - by developing a true European awareness and actively standing up for the formation of the ‘house of Europe.’ Closely considering the horrors of the Nazi regime in Europe was one focus in order to uncover and foster the sustainable insight that everything must be done to avoid such atrocities ever taking place again. The other focus was the experience of Europe’s valuable diversity in unity in order to set free impulses for collaborative and reconciling action. Despite the pandemic and its multiple problems and the French partner school dropping out, all goals were reached: Working on the history of the Nazi regime in Europe and considering individual resistance fighters’ biographies strengthened the students’ awareness of the fact that it is and will be up to them to prohibit such actrocities in the future. Joint work of the 3 remaining schools came along with many impulses for common reconciling action. First, the students dealt with the Nazis’ atrocities that all partner countries had to experience (incl. France which remained a central topic) and successively put together a large timeline on events in the 4 countries to visualize the complexity and enormous scale of terror spread all over Europe by the Nazis. Secondly, they dealt with the courage that people showed when standing up against the destructive, racist and inhumane ideology, often sacrificing their lives. Focussing on individual biographies and comparing the different overall situations in Czechia, France, Greece and Germany the mixed national teams composed stories on the lives of these people. The close considerations of Europe's past under the Nazi terror regime led to considering and discussing the present and future of Europe. A number of changes had to be introduced to the programs of the mobilities due to the pandemic and partly due to the drop-out of the French partner school. Apart from the fact that the topics of France and Czechia could only be done as virtual mobilities after many alternative plans had failed, the restrictions still in place demanded alterations of the original plans for Germany, too. Instead of traveling to Strasbourg and a French commemoration site, the small commemoration site at Neustadt/Weinstraße and the Hambacher Schloss were visited - which turned out to be even more valuable. The second main focus of the project - standing up for Europe today - was the underlying theme during both the two in-presence meetings (Greece and Germany) as well as the two virtual mobilities on France and Czechia. Both virtual mobilities were done under difficult circumstances, partly additionally to online schooling, but with more students than initially planned. In Greece the guest students experienced everyday life in their host families, while in Germany all the groups lived together in a Youth Hostel. The experiences of community and celebration of cultural and social diversity and pluralism was a major aspect during all mobilities. It was the intercultural trainings and games that added enormously to the growth of a common feeling of unity. Experiencing and/or learning about the host countries (though only via online presentations, puzzles and games during the virtual mobilities) and the cultural differences and similarities were not only a lot of fun but also brought to the fore the importance of standing up for European diversity and experiencing cultural pluralism, especially in view of growing racist and nationalistic trends. All actvities fostered the intercultural, personal and social competencies, the improvement of skills in English and, most of all, the students’ civil courage, awareness and willingness to stand up for a peaceful and diverse Europe. The products created during the project were a large timeline on the historical events in all 4 countries, biographical stories on resistance fighters lives, lots of posters, padlets and other digital media. They were exhibited in the 3 partner schools and are digitally preserved on the project TwinSpace. The two final products - representing another goal of the project - go far beyond the project itself. All the texts on the history of the national socialist terror regime in the 4 partner countries, the biographical data of the resistance fighters dealt with during the project and additional guidelines for dealing with the topic in lessons and/or (international) projects was created (compiling the students' workbooks for all mobilities). Additionally, we put together a handbook on project management for teachers who a new to international project work. Both books are available on the Erasmus+ project results platform in digital form for free download.