Topic of Holocaust and Rescue of Bulgarian Jews Is Present in All Stages of General Education in Bulgaria

Jerusalem, 2 February, 2023 (TPS) -- SOFIA, 02.02.2023 (BTA)
The topic of the Holocaust and the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews are present in all stages of school education, Radostina Nikolova, a state expert on “History and Civilizations” at the Content of Preschool and School Education Directorate of the Ministry of Education and Science, said in a BTA interview.

In the primary stage, the subject is part of the curriculum subject Man and Society, in the lower secondary stage it is studied in the seventh grade, when national history is studied, in the first and second stage it is part of both the curriculum content in the tenth grade when a full course of national history is studied again, and in the curriculum content of the previous ninth grade, when modern world history is studied, Nikolova explained.

Asked how in History and Civilizations classes the teachers focus on preserving and transmitting the memory of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews, Radostina Nikolova explained that especially in the History and Civilizations classes the opportunities are not only contained in the lesson topics but there are additional resources provided in the exercise lessons. There are also activities provided outside the classroom when students work in teams on a research project. And then assignments can be given that involve meetings and interviews with Jewish survivors, as well as research that takes place at the State Archives Agency and regional museums.

The Ministry launched the “Lesson in Dignity” campaign in 2003, the expert said. “Every year, on the eve of March 10, the theme of homeroom can be dedicated to the fate of Bulgarian Jews. There are no restrictions – it is a matter of the school’s own decision which classes, in an age-appropriate manner, will be taught such a lesson of dignity. It is up to each school to choose how it will mark the date. This campaign is held on the eve of March 10, as it is related to the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews,” said Nikolova.

She announced that the International Literary Student Competition “Whoever saves one human life, saves the whole universe!” of the Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Centre Alef is included in the National Calendar of the Ministry of Education for children’s and students’ extracurricular activities. “In this sense, we work together and partner with the Alef Center. However, the Ministry of Education and Science also has a separate competition for a student research project called ‘Place and Memory’. This is the general title, and each year we have a specific focus. This year, this focus will be related to the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews. Our partners are the State Archives Agency and the Sofia University. The works we receive are of higher quality and value with each subsequent year, which is why we have the opportunity for the best student project to be submitted to the State Archives Agency and become part of their resources, which is recognition for the work of our students,: said the expert.

Nikolova noted that history students at Bulgarian universities cannot but study the topic of the Holocaust, because it will be part of their professional commitments. At Sofia University, at its Faculty of History, there are Hebrew studies courses and students study Hebrew, traditions, customs and everything that is related to the history of Israel.

Here follows the full text of the interview:

Q: In 2023. Bulgaria marks 80 years since the rescue of Bulgarian Jews, how is this topic present in our textbooks – in which classes and how is it studied?

A: We are preparing events throughout the year to mark the anniversary and the topic of the Holocaust, the rescue of Bulgarian Jews, the fate of the Jews in the territories administered by Bulgaria. The theme is present in all stages of the general school education. In the primary stage it is part of the subject Man and Society, in the lower secondary stage it is studied in the seventh grade, when national history is studied, in the upper secondary stage it is part of the curriculum in the tenth grade, when a full course of national history is again studied, and in the curriculum of the previous ninth grade, when modern world history is studied.

Q: How do teachers emphasize the preservation and transmission of the memory of the rescue of Bulgarian Jews in History and Civilizations classes?

A: Especially in history and civilizations classes the opportunities are not only contained in the lesson topics, there are additional resources provided in the exercise lessons. There are also activities provided outside the classroom, when students work in teams on a research project. And then assignments can be given that involve meetings and interviews with Jewish survivors, as well as research that takes place at the State Archives Agency, and regional museums.

Q: What historical facts and data related to the rescue of Bulgarian Jews are published in our textbooks, and is there a need for a change or additions to better highlight our country’s contribution to this humane act?

A: If we talk about the curriculum and textbooks, imagining that the resources, the possibilities of a lesson topic are limited, we use all the additional possibilities with which teachers can provide additional information and students can research it, process it, and enrich it. I’ll say again – textbooks contain the history of both those who lived within the borders of the Kingdom of Bulgaria and those Jews who lived in the territories administered by Bulgaria during the Second World War.

Q: Tell us about the Ministry of Education and Science’s national campaign “Lesson in Dignity”, and for which grades is it intended? What is the connection of this campaign with the Holocaust and the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews?

A: The history of the “Lesson in Dignity” campaign dates back to 2003. Every year, on the eve of March 10, the theme of homeroom can be linked to the fate of Bulgarian Jews. There are no restrictions – it is up to the school to decide with which classes, in an age-appropriate manner, such a lesson of dignity will be conducted. It is up to each school to choose how it will mark the date. This campaign is held on the eve of 10 March as it is linked to the rescue of Bulgarian Jews.

Q: As of December 2018, Bulgaria is a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, how is the Ministry cooperating with this organization to preserve the memory of the rescue of Bulgarian Jews and to adequately teach it in Bulgarian education?

A: When we were accepted as a full member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2018, we went from an observer state to a permanent member state in a very short period of time. This was three years after the adoption of the new Law on Pre-School and School Education, and the introduction of the new curricula. One part of the report that we submitted and the questionnaire that we filled in was related to the subject of school education, and our country received very high marks for the change that had been made – in the law and in the new curricula. We submitted our ninth grade curriculum as well as some of the new textbooks at the time of our survey, as it is called, and the decision to be accepted as a full member.

Representatives from the Ministry of Education participate in a working group on education, and during each session-they’re held twice a year-we give information and comment on what our progress is, what new initiatives we’re taking within school education.

Q: Does the Education Ministry work together with the Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Centre Alef, which organizes the International Literary Student Competition “Whoever saves one human life, saves the whole universe”?

A: The competition of the Alef Center is included in the National Calendar of the Ministry of Education and Science for extracurricular activities at schools. In this sense, we work together and partner with each other.

However, the Ministry also has an independent competition for a student research project called “Place and Memory.” That is the general title, and each year we have a specific focus. This year, that focus will be related to the anniversary commemoration. Our partners are the State Archives Agency and the Sofia University. The work we receive is of higher quality and value with each subsequent year, which is why we have the opportunity to have the best student project submitted at the State Archives Agency and become part of its resources, which is recognition for the work of our students.

Q: In these two competitions students from which grades can participate?

A: Students from both high school levels participate in our competition because the topic and the research project are a bit more difficult. First-year university students are even able to participate in the Alef competition.

Q: As an expert on History and Civilizations at the Education Ministry, do you have information in which specialties in Bulgarian universities the topic of the Holocaust and the rescue of Bulgarian Jews is studied?

A: Certainly all history students at Bulgarian universities cannot help but study the Holocaust, because this will be part of their professional commitments. At the Sofia University, at its Faculty of History, there are Hebrew studies courses, which is a slightly broader specialty. In this specialty students study Hebrew, traditions, customs and everything that is related to the history of Israel.

Bulgaria will be marking the 80th anniversary of the salvation of Bulgarian Jews in 2023.

The anniversary raises many historical and historiographical questions about who the rescuers were, what made this great humanitarian act possible and why it happened in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), in partnership with the Alef Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Center, set itself the task of answering these questions with the help of prominent scholars, public figures, and experts on the subject with a series of articles to recall the events of the past and the participants in them, and to present the importance of the rescue and the rescuers. Bulgaria and Denmark are believed to be the only countries that did not allow their Jewish citizens to be deported to Nazi death camps. Nearly 50,000 lives were saved in Bulgaria. According to information on the website of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center, Bulgaria had 50,000 Jews before World War II and zero victims. It is the only country with zero victims.