Press releases

Wednesday, 11 September, the Terezín Initiative Institute organized a photography workshop, led by photography professor Karel Cudlín. The Mayor of Terezín, Mr. René Tomášek, opened the program, which then continued with photographs taken throughout the city, both in the Small Fortress and in the former ghetto, a tour of which was led by TII Director Tomáš Kraus. The students had the opportunity to capture the unique atmosphere of this place, but also to learn something of its turbulent history.

At the end of the summer, just before the beginning of the school year, on 27-28 August, the Milan Šimečka Foundation in Bratislava organized a teachers' conference "The Sadness and Joy of History". The conference focused on memory and research education and helped educators prepare for the new school year, especially on the topic of the Holocaust in the curriculum.

On 3.9.2024, the trainee lawyers of the Leipzig Regional Court were given a tour of Prague's Jewish quarter. The tour was organized and conducted by our educator Thomas, supported by our new volunteer Laurenz.

Thomas informed the participants about the history of Jewish life in Prague and the Czech Republic and also talked about the history of anti-Semitism in the Czech Republic. The MemoGIS web application co-developed by the Institute was also used during the tour.

Many of the crimes committed during the occupation were legally covered by laws and regulations. This makes it all the more important that future generations of lawyers and judges deal with the history of National Socialist crimes. We are delighted that the trainee lawyers at Leipzig District Court took advantage of this opportunity and would like to thank them for their keen interest.

Last Thursday we had a small celebration at the institute, where we laughed and cried.

We said goodbye to Lena. We looked back together on the past year and the many experiences and memories we shared. There were a few tears in our eyes.

At the same time we welcomed Laurenz, who will be supporting us from now on as a volunteer from Verein GEDENKDIENST.

Dear Lena, we thank you for your great work and for allowing us to accompany you on a small part of your life's journey. We wish you all the best for the future!

Dear Laurenz, welcome to the Institute. We look forward to your support in the team and to the many great impressions and experiences you will have during your year with us.

You can read more about our two volunteers in the interviews below.

On 21 August, our volunteer Lena travelled to Terezín to help the volunteer office in Terezín with the first implementation of a new workshop called „Between Good and Evil: Roles and Grey Areas“ where they discussed and explored different roles and categories during the Second World War.

Yesterday, Tuesday, 20 August, the Museum of Romani culture held a commemorative act to honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust of the Roma and Sint. This took place at the Holocaust Memorial to the Roma and Sinti in Moravia, Hodonín u Kunštátu.

We stand united in our unwavering support for the Nadácia Milana Šimečku, an organization that has embodied the spirit of human rights, cultural understanding, and democratic values in Slovakia for over 30 years. Named in honor of the revered philosopher and dissident Milan Šimečka, the foundation has tirelessly worked to foster inclusivity, challenge prejudice, and uphold the dignity of every individual in Slovak society.