Germany has initiated an £8.5 million campaign to increase the number of schoolchildren visiting former Nazi concentration camps like Auschwitz to prevent the fading of Holocaust memories. The annual budget has been doubled to £3 million with additional support from the Bethe Foundation, committing £8.5 million over five years to double the trips to these historic sites.
Family Minister Karin Prien expressed concerns about the diminishing public memory of Nazi crimes as Holocaust survivors pass away. She emphasized the importance of direct exposure to Germany’s dark history by visiting camps such as Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Sobibor to understand the enormity of the atrocities and instill a sense of responsibility for democracy.
Prien highlighted that merely visiting a concentration camp does not automatically make someone an anti-fascist or a democrat. Understanding the gradual process of disenfranchisement, dehumanization, and expropriation that led to the Nazi regime’s atrocities is crucial. Over 40,000 German students have participated in the program since 2010, but officials aim to prevent a growing detachment from this critical chapter in the country’s history.
During a visit to Israel in October 2025, Prien shared her personal connection to the issue, revealing that her family members were victims of Nazi concentration camps. She advocated for the establishment of a Yad Vashem-linked education center in Germany, with potential locations in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, or Saxony, with a decision expected in 2026.
Prien also engaged in discussions with Israeli Education Minister Joav Kisch to revive youth exchange programs disrupted by conflicts, emphasizing the importance of international engagement to preserve historical truth. The initiative aims to have over 12,000 young people annually visit former Nazi execution camps to ensure the remembrance of the past atrocities.
