Context for teachers
The educational materials of "RESIST 1933–1945. For human rights in Europe" show examples of resistance in Germany from 1933 and the Résistance in France since the German occupation of the country in May 1940.
Using biographies, they show the different conditions and developments of resistance in both countries. Videos and accompanying texts are available for the thematic introduction. This is supplemented by a publication. The materials are suitable for people aged 14 and older.
Dealing with resistance can be a motivation to think about one's own orientation and options for shaping the future and taking responsibility for the present and the future.
Learning settings and learning objectives
The materials can be used in a variety of ways, for example in school and extracurricular as well as transnational and national teaching/learning contexts. In addition to history lessons, they can be linked to social science subjects, school and extracurricular youth exchange programs and other offers of intercultural, historical-political and human rights-oriented education.
By working with the materials, learners find out more about
- social breadth and diversity of the forms and aims of resistance against National Socialism in Germany (1933–1945) and against the German occupation and the Vichy regime in France (1940–1944)
- the scope for action of people in the resistance in Germany and France
- ways in which the resistance was dealt with publicly after the end of the war in Germany and France.
The materials pursue overarching learning objectives that can be adapted by the teacher to the respective teaching and learning context.
Methodological approaches
The educational program is based on a number of approaches to historical-political education, some of which are interlinked:
a) Biographical approach
In recent years, a biographical approach has proven to be particularly suitable for working on resistance against National Socialism in historical-political education. By dealing with a person's biography, developments and various paths to resistance become comprehensible. People become concrete and visible in their own time. This is an important prerequisite for projects in the field of remembrance culture.
b) Multi-method approach
The multi-method approach of the educational materials enables the topic to be approached at different levels and takes into account different learning and performance settings. Different skills can thus be addressed and strengthened in the participants. In addition, the material also allows intercultural learning processes to be initiated in transnational teaching/learning contexts.
c) Human rights orientation
The educational offer provides the opportunity to link the examination of resistance against National Socialism with approaches to human rights education. Democratic and human rights-oriented attitudes and action for a common, peaceful future are promoted. Fritz Bauer described resistance against National Socialism as a "fight for human rights". This human rights orientation in the resistance against National Socialism forms a suitable starting point for an examination of contemporary references to the topic.