Nalézání zmizelých osudů. Mementa světových válek 20. století pro mladého člověka Erasmus Project

Project Title

Nalézání zmizelých osudů. Mementa světových válek 20. století pro mladého člověka

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

The project was aimed at the students of secondary schools. The purpose of the project was to raise their interest in history, esp. the events which influenced the development of Europe and the whole world in 20th century. We focused on the history of two wars (WWI and WWII). The awareness of the war horrors is quite poor among the youngest generation. Therefore, we made students aware of iniquity of the wars through experience pedagogy. We tried to give the students some insight into totalitarian systems in the 20th century and their consequences for the world. The participants of the project could learn more about a destructive power of nationalism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination. The main contents of the project was to organize (together with a Polish partner school ZSE Gorlice and a Slovakian school SPŠ Bardejov) special excursions to the places associated with world wars (e.g. the former battlefields, army cemeteries and monuments reminding the fights during WWI in Gorlice and its surroundings; the battlefields on the Polish-Slovak borders, esp. the Carpathians region). We composed and evaluated the gained information and knowledge. We made a database of photos as a source of information for subsequent exhibitions. The other topic of the project was to show cultural and historical differences (or similarities) between different regions, esp. between the regions of Galicia, eastern Slovakia and South Bohemia. We concentrated on folk architecture and craft (South Bohemian folk Baroque and works of anonymous artists in all regions). For example, we compared South Bohemian sacred brick buildings with the architecture of wooden churches in Galicia and eastern parts of Slovakia. Finally, learning more about the regions of EU without tourists’ interest was also our intention of the project. State governments poorly supported these regions. On the other hand, it caused neglect and difficult living conditions that has preserved a relatively good level of folk traditions and folk culture among the population of these regions. We could mention Ruthenians living with Slovaks and Poles on both sides of the border and Č. Budějovice where Germans had a great influence on the local population. We also tended to raise students’ awareness of them and make them feel respect to our ancestors and their heritage. We realized the project with a Polish school and a Slovakian school. They are technical schools. The age of students was from 15 to 19. It was our third project and our cooperation was again on a good level. Moreover, the partnership has lasted for more than 10 years. Both schools are located in socio-disadvantaged regions of EU with a high rate of unemployment and number of Roma inhabitants and minorities. The project lasted 24 months and we had 10 meetings. The partner schools always prepared a very detailed programme. The aim of these meetings was to gather materials and work with the sources from the war battlefields and monuments. We also prepared for interviews with those who remember the fights of WWII, e.g. the school from Č. Budějovice is in contact with Mrs Tvrská who is the only living victim of the South Bohemian Jewish transport to Terezín and further to Auschwitz and other Nazi extermination camps in Poland. We made essays and photos based on the topic of war, genocide, xenophobia, racism, and a film.WWI: we used the information systems and a large number of sources of our partner school in Gorlice where the front passed in 1915, and the soldiers almost destroyed it. At present, there are about 40 military cemeteries from WWI. There are many Czechs buried among the victims here so our students could learn about young Czechs’ fate during the final period of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. We took trips around the city and to other places and monuments of the WWI battles. All these places emphasised the absurdity of wars and unnecessary destruction of young lives, often far from their homeland. Project outputs: As in the first part of the project, the outcome of the 2nd part of the project (WWII, the Holocaust and the visit to Auschwitz) were a bilingual information panels presented at exhibitions in both countries. The project made a significant use of information and ICT (mainly used in creating a magazine, DVD movies and posters focusing on the Holocaust and the wars) which ensure the sustainability of the project and the overall high level of the visualization of presented project outputs (often highly emotional content – the Holocaust). 2. The conservation of folk traditions was the background of our goals. We wanted to educate our students about a positive attitude to the world cultural heritage. This goal was included in our activities, such as singing folk songs and learning folk dances. Moreover, we practised these skills and presented them in the context of public folklore events. We visited our partners’ regions and documented their folk architecture with photos.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 70200 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gymnazium, Ceske Budejovice, Ceska 64 & Country: CZ

Project Partners

• Stredna priemyselna skola
• Zespol Szkol Ekonomicznych im Jana Pawla II w Gorlicach