The Terezín Memorial is known to the public as a site closely associated with memories of the persecutions and genocidal policies of Nazi Germany, to experts as a major museum and research centre.
Shortly after the establishment of a democratic system, Memorial staff became acutely aware of the absence of information regarding the Holocaust in Czech schools. In previous decades the topic had been taboo, and the numbers of experts or those knowledgeable about this sad chapter in Czech history were few. The education department was thus created in 1993 with the aim of offering this missing information and study materials to young people, adults and all with an interest.
An educational programme has been developed that concentrates on the problems associated with Terezín, and in particular on the most tragic period between 1939 and 1945, the complexity of which is variable depending on the age group, level of education and length of stay of those with an interest. Its basis has from the very beginning been a tour of the area of the former ghetto, the Gestapo police prison in the Lesser Fortress and the exhibitions, this being complemented by seminars, films and discussions with those who survived the Holocaust.
The work of the department, which has been accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education, has undergone significant changes in the 8 years since it was founded. The number of members of the collective and collaborators has increased substantially, and the range of programmes and events offered has also broadened; the overall scope of activity, too, has been enlarged. In 1997 a Meeting Centre was opened in the reconstructed Magdeburg Barracks, and this too is part of the Education department. New study and assembly spaces, accommodation for 44 persons, and a separate kitchen form the facilities vital to the effective organisation of seminars, educational stays and support for their own research for young people and teachers from both the Czech Republic and abroad.
The underlying concept behind the work of the Education department, however, remains the same: not only to make clear to young people the malignancy and results of racism, but also to teach them to understand that themes of interpersonal relationships, tolerance and human dignity in the context of racial equality can never be sidelined.
The main areas in which the department is active are: seminars, methodology, scholarship, editorial activity & publication, competitions, cultural & social events, contacts & further information.