Exploring Jewish Memory: My Journey at the Centropa Summer Academy

This summer, I had the privilege of attending the Centropa Summer Academy in Berlin, a program that brought together 70 educators from sixteen different countries. Centropa, a non-profit historical institute, is dedicated to preserving Jewish memory in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Baltics, and the former Soviet Union. Through interviews with elderly Jews and the digitization of family photographs and personal documents, Centropa creates educational programs, multimedia films, and exhibitions that bring Jewish history to life.

The Centropa Summer Academy was filled with enriching activities and sessions that left an indelible impact on all participants. The program’s central theme was Jewish memory, and on the first day we delved into the story of Roza Rozenstein, a German-Jewish woman who worked in a factory. Walking the streets where she once lived, hearing details about her life, and seeing the factory where she met her husband brought her story to life in a profoundly moving manner. Additionally we paused at several memorials, including one to German women who attempted to save their Jewish husbands from arrest, and another to a Jewish girls’ school. As we walked, we encountered numerous Stolpersteins, small plaques that serve as poignant reminders to residents and visitors of the Jewish individuals who once inhabited these neighborhoods. These small, personal experiences were powerful reminders of the individual lives that were lost during the Holocaust.

Two of the most impactful visits were our tour of the Wannsee Villa and our trip to the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. Now a museum, the facade of the Wannsee Villa remains unchanged from the images we see in history books. Overlooking a picturesque lake, we took a chilling tour of the building where the Final Solution was planned. The tour meticulously detailed the bureaucratic nature of the meeting as well as the backgrounds and fates of the participants. The museum also houses the only surviving minutes of the conference. Following the tour, we drove a mere five minutes through the affluent town of Wannsee to Gleis 17, a memorial to all of the Jews deported from this train platform. It was difficult to reconcile the serene, affluent surroundings with the horrific events that transpired there.

Another significant moment was our visit to Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, located approximately two hours from Berlin. Ravensbrück was a women’s prison camp, and I was surprised to learn that only 10% of the prisoners were Jewish; the remaining 90% were political prisoners, resistance fighters, or individuals deemed undesirable by the Nazis. Significant portions of the camp remain intact, and the extensive museum focuses on the brutal experiences of the victims. As Ravensbrück served as a training camp for all female Nazi guards, there is now an exhibit in one of the old guards’ living quarters about the women who volunteered to be trained to work in concentration camps. Our exceptionally knowledgeable guide explained how most of these women were never held accountable for their crimes and lived freely in Germany after the war. Ravensbrück invites survivors to speak to groups and tour the memorial, ensuring that their stories continue to be heard.

One of the most meaningful experiences of the trip was meeting teachers from around the world. Most were not Jewish, and I was inspired by their commitment to teach about the Holocaust and antisemitism. Hearing about their classrooms and how students in Europe learn about World War II was fascinating. Many educators shared poignant stories of how Jews once lived in their towns or nearby, and the challenges they face in teaching about Jewish life when most Jews had been murdered or had emigrated. Our discussions were rich and multifaceted, addressing everything from the complexities of Holocaust education to innovative strategies for making history resonate with contemporary students.

I was particularly moved by the stories of two remarkable educators. I walked through Ravensbrück with a Ukrainian teacher from a city that had been under siege at the beginning of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Hearing her story and witnessing her unwavering commitment to teaching about the Holocaust was profoundly inspirational. The second educator was from a small town on the border of Poland and Ukraine. At the onset of the war, she immediately sprang into action to assist Ukrainian refugees. Her organizational skills were so impressive that the police sought her help in coordinating rescue efforts, all while she continued to teach full time.

The Centropa Summer Academy also provided us with practical tools and resources to use in our teaching. We were introduced to Centropa’s extensive archive of interviews, photographs, and films, which are available for free on their website. At the beginning of the program we were divided into elective groups, and I was fortunate to work with another teacher from the Bronx to create a lesson on the dilemmas German Jews faced in the 1930s. On the last day, we presented our lessons to each other and left with engaging ideas to help students connect to the Holocaust in a meaningful way.

I also had several informal Jewish experiences that shaped my time in Berlin. Along with another Orthodox teacher, I planned to eat dinner at Chabad. As we were seated at the restaurant, we were invited upstairs to a Farbrengen. We were warmly welcomed and enjoyed learning about the Chabad’s plan to open a school in the adjacent building for 450 students in the upcoming school year. On Shabbat day, we attended davening at a shul close to our hotel. The community invited us to eat lunch with them, and we enjoyed sitting with young families. It was, however, disheartening to hear how most plan to leave as they do not see a future for themselves in Germany.

As I reflect on my time at the Centropa Summer Academy, I am filled with gratitude for the experience. While it was a difficult trip, Centropa’s thoughtful teachers and leadership brought to life the memories of Jews living in Berlin and Europe before World War II. I am inspired to share my experience with my students and help them form a deeper connection to their own history.