5 Inspiring Stories of Unsung Heroes
Watch the short films, then join our conversation on March 12.
Germany has a vibrant remembrance culture aimed at raising public consciousness about the crimes of the past and the importance of standing up against bigotry and in support of democracy. Much of the most meaningful work is being done by unsung volunteers in towns and villages across the country.
Widen the Circle, through the Obermayer Awards, recognizes individuals and groups in Germany who are working to restore German-Jewish history and culture, and who use the lessons of that history to fight antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia. Far from the spotlight and on their own time, these individuals and groups are building a culture of hope and reconciliation in their communities. These short films tell the inspiring stories of some of these unsung heroes and are presented as part of our March 12 event with the Sousa Mendes Foundation. Widen the Circle Executive Director Joel Obermayer will share stories and talk about the work of Widen the Circle. He’ll be joined by German activist Christiane Simon. Watch the films, and join us.
Registration information. (Note: Registration closes on Thursday, March 9, at 10 pm EST.)
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Josef Wisskirchen
Josef Wisskirchen has spent a lifetime helping people understand the truth. What began with a startled realization that a synagogue still stood in his home town turned into decades of research and writing, and connecting with survivors and descendants.
Marlies and Rudolf Walter
Marlies and Rudolf Walter touch the hearts of survivors and descendants. Today, the Jewish history of Bad Kissingen has been documented and made accessible to people of all ages, and a new chapter has been written in the postwar relationships of German non-Jews with survivors and their descendants. That has happened largely due to the Walters.
Stefan Schirmer and FC Ente Bagdad
Stefan Schirmer and FC Ente Bagdad build understanding and acceptance, preserve Jewish history, and play a lot of soccer. Ente Bagdad (the Baghdad Ducks), an amateur club based in Mainz, has members from dozens of countries. It has played at the local, regional, national, and international levels. At the same time, the club has engaged in many social justice activities, including working with refugees; organizing trips to the home countries of its members (including Syria before the war, Morocco, Bolivia, and Israel); teaching about the Holocaust through soccer history; and focusing on diversity.
Zweitzeugen
The last witnesses to World War II and the Holocaust are still with us. But what happens when they are gone? Zweitzeugen (Secondary Witnesses), a nonprofit educational organization, has introduced more than 16,000 students and adults to the stories of survivors. Zweitzeugen captures the stories of survivors and uses them to teach the significance of history and the importance of empathy.
The Story of the Yellow Bricks
Sixth-graders at the Löcknitz school in Berlin have been building a wall of yellow bricks since the 1990s. Each brick bears the name of a local resident killed in the Holocaust. It's an incredibly moving memorial, and it provides students with a powerful educational experience about the importance of standing up against hate.