Rationale:
The Holocaust was one of the most defining events of the 20th century. The cost and ramifications of this genocide were far-reaching, crossing the entire continent of Europe and beyond. Millions of people lost their lives, communities and cities were completely destroyed, and humanity was lost almost in its entirety. But amid the death and destruction there existed profound elements of human decency and it is these that we wish to explore here.
This project aims to illuminate the stories of those who dared to defend humanity when, all around them, evil prevailed. By focusing on this element of the Holocaust we invite our students to be inspired by the best of human character.
Who Is Your Hero? Stories from the Holocaust
Examples of heroes in the Holocaust:
There are many well-known stories of exquisite acts of courage displayed in the Holocaust.
Miep Gies and five other Dutch citizens, hid Anne Frank, her family and four other Jews for two years. At great personal risk, they provided food, stimulation and hope for these eight hunted people.
Oskar Schindler, a prominent Nazi who profited from the exploitation of Jewish slave labor in occupied Poland, was responsible for saving the lives of 1,200 Jews.
Janusz Korczak and Stefania Wilczyńska, both Polish Jews, cared for 192 Jewish orphans in the Warsaw ghetto. They each had the opportunity to escape but chose to stay with the children ultimately accompanying them to their final destination at Treblinka where they all perished.
These, of course, are not the only examples of such heroism during the Holocaust. There are numerous other stories - some well-known and others not - of acts performed by both Jews and non-Jews who wanted to help persecuted Jewish people. In fact, Yad Vashem has the names of approximately 28,000 Righteous Among the Nations – non-Jewish people who stood up against the perpetrators of the Holocaust to defend humanity. Whether they attempted to save a single person or whether they successfully saved thousands, their acts are considered heroic and worthy of recognition.
Please note: There are many controversial personalities that appear in Holocaust narratives. As teachers, please ensure that your students have carefully checked the full background of their chosen "hero" - specifically, that they have not also been involved in any crimes against humanity.
Project instructions:
- Research people who acted heroically both during the Holocaust and in the years leading up to it. Select one whose story stands out to you. Your hero may be Jewish or non-Jewish and come from any background, from any country.
- Showcase their story through one of the following forms of expression: a piece of writing, photography, artwork, music, videography (no longer than 10 minutes duration), graphic novel/cartoon (no more than ten pages), poetry or any other medium. The finished piece must be designed in a format enabling exhibition online. Graphic submissions must have a minimum DPI of 300.
- Together with your submission, you must include a text of up to 500 words explaining the rationale behind your choice, why this particular person stood out to you and why it is important that we hear their story eighty years later.
- Projects can be submitted by individuals, groups or an entire class.
- Submissions deemed by the judges as offensive will be disqualified. Projects must be the independent work of the submitter(s).
- You must register your participation no later than October 20th, 2023. Submissions must be uploaded by December 22nd, 2023. After this date, submissions will no longer be accepted.
- Please email your project to: heroes.project@yadvashem.org.il
- A committee of educators and historians from Yad Vashem will select the winning entries. On January 27th, 2024 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day - there will be an official Yad Vashem public online event showcasing these projects. The student creators of the winning projects, together with a school official, will be invited to participate.
- The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winners will be notified by January 13th, 2024.
- For further information or inquiries contact us at heroes.project@yadvashem.org.il.
Upon submission of an entry, the submitters grant permission for Yad Vashem to continue using the entry for educational and public use after the competition ends. No payment will be received for this use. Submissions become the property of the project, and may be displayed, credited accordingly, on the Yad Vashem website and/or in other arenas accordingly.
WHO IS A HERO?
Somebody who:
- Helps others?
- Recruits inner strengths to do good?
- Faces challenges?
- Has the courage to respond to injustice?
- Protects the weak?
- Defends human values?
- Overcomes adversity?
- Saves a life?
