The webinar took the form of a discussion focused on issues related to the impact of the Holocaust experience on the lives of survivors and subsequent generations.

The starting point for the discussion was a series of research projects devoted to the phenomenon of distorting and denying the memory of the Holocaust. Among the studies presented were projects carried out in 2022–2023 by Bundesverband RIAS, documenting the contemporary experiences of Holocaust survivors and the current state of Holocaust remembrance.

Particular attention was devoted to the report “Continuities and Discontinuities”, which illustrates how the children and grandchildren of survivors continue to confront the legacy of trauma and how family history influences their everyday lives, identities, and perceptions of the contemporary world.

The USC Shoah Foundation presented interviews with survivors of the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, placing the discussion within the context of contemporary manifestations of antisemitism.

The webinar also featured an international panel discussion with experts from Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Poland, devoted to the role of Holocaust survivors’ testimonies and the experiences of their descendants in contemporary education and efforts to combat antisemitism.

The discussion demonstrated how intergenerational memory rooted in personal histories can help build social awareness and strengthen attitudes opposing hatred and exclusion. The Association was represented by our expert, Anna Makówka-Kwapisiewicz.