By Darija Korschunova Moscow School #444 Moscow, Russia
The Inter-Regional Charity Public Foundation for the establishment of a Holocaust Museum (Holocaust Foundation) has been registered with the Directorate of Justice, Moscow. One of its founders, the Holocaust Research and Educational Center, has placed its premises at the disposal of the Foundation. There have been several people elected to the Foundation Board -- writer Alla Gerber (president), historian Ilya Altman (vice-president), and journalist Yelena Yakovich.
The principal task the Foundation has set for itself is the realization of a project to set up a state Holocaust Museum in Russia. The Foundation was called upon to develop fundraising necessary to help the building of the museum, as well as to collect and save museum exhibits and testimonies contained in private collections.
The Holocaust Foundation will give support to projects immortalizing the memory of the Nazi victims on the territory of Russia (by putting up memorials and teaching centers), of educational programs and publications, promoting seminars and scientific conferences, competitions of works on methods and students' papers, and the production of documentary films. One of the most important aims the Foundation will pursue is equitable financial compensation and other support to be rendered to the Holocaust victims, as well as assistance in finding the "Righteous Among the Peoples of the World," who saved Jews from Nazi persecution.
Auschwitz-Birkenau: CrematoriumDestroyed by the Nazis
By Darija Malinina Moscow School #444 Moscow, Russia
The Russian Holocaust Foundation, in conjunction with the Education Department, Council of Europe, Ministry of Education, Russian Federation, and Yad Vashem, held an International Conference, on 6-8 October 1998, in Moscow, on the subject of "Teaching the Holocaust in the 21st Century."
Under discussion were the following problems: organization and experience of teaching the Holocaust in the different countries of the world; peculiarities of teaching the Holocaust in multinational states; methods of teaching the Holocaust in secondary and higher educational establishments; teaching the Holocaust in the context of courses of a country's science, civic science, human rights and other related subjects; publication of study aids on the subject of the Holocaust; instruction with the aid of the Internet and other technical teaching means; the use, in the teaching process, of documentary films and testimony; and, the organization of visits of young people to places of the Holocaust.