Program_Sympossium_Perceptions_of_the_Holocaust_and_Contemporary_Antisemitism (PDF)
3- 5 June, 2011 in Berlin
Location: Amadeu Antonio Stiftung, Linienstr. 139, 10115 Berlin (U6-Oranienburger Tor)
Many countries have implemented annual Holocaust commemoration events and educational programs on the Holocaust. However, antisemitism is on the rise and in fact often voiced with references to the Holocaust. Jews are accused of exploiting ‘the Holocaust’ while perpetrating a Holocaust-like genocide against the Pal-estinians and Jews and Israelis are inappropriately compared to Nazis. Previous research suggests that such tropes are common in Europe and that many Euro-peans believe that Jews try to take advantage of their status as victims during the Nazi era. However, no cross-country research has been done to estimate similarities and differences of this problem.
This international symposium explores the relation between specific perceptions of the Holocaust and antisemitism, and presents and discusses upcoming re-search projects on this topic. Several country specific case studies will be pre-sented and discussed in a cross-country perspective: How are Jews and the Holocaust perceived in different countries? What are the notions of the Holocaust and Jews which allow individuals or groups to voice antisemitic resentments with references to the Holocaust? Who is perceived to have perpetrated the Holocaust? How do the relations between antisemitism and the perception of the Holocaust in public and private discourses and at Holocaust commemoration events differ in the countries that were studied?