Round Table: Holocaust Distortion. Contested memory in Europe
Museum Dorotheergasse
© Jewish Museum Vienna / Lorenz Brunbauer
The Holocaust serves as the political, cultural and moral anchor for addressing forms of exclusionary nationalism, antisemitism, racism, and genocide after 1945. Yet, the meaning of the Holocaust in the collective memory of many nation states is changing and has become subject to contestation or distortion. Distortion of the Holocaust means rhetoric, written work or other media that excuse, minimise or misrepresent the known historical record. However, any distortion, whether intentional or not, feeds into antisemitic narratives and can lead to more violent forms of antisemitism. In this sense, as Historian and International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Honorary Chairman, Yehuda Bauer notes, “a half truth is worse than a full lie.” This Round Table, organised by the Vienna Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies (VWI), the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the Jewish Museum Vienna and the Jean Monnet Network “European Memory Politics” at the University of Victoria, Canada, will address the contested memory of the Holocaust, Holocaust distortion and its meaning in contemporary debates in various national contexts. Experts will focus on Austria, Hungary, the post-Yugoslav space and Poland.
WELCOME:
Barbara Staudinger | Director of the Jewish Museum Vienna
Moritz Wein | Austrian Federal Ministery for Education, Science and Research
EXPERTS ON THE PANEL:
Jochen Böhler on the case of Poland | Historian, Director of the VWI
Helga Embacher on the case of Austria | Historian, Professor at the University of Salzburg
Éva Kovács on the case of Hungary | Sociologist, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs at the VWI
Ljiljana Radonić on the case of the post-Yugoslav space Political | Scientist, Vice-Director of the Institute of Culture Studies and Theatre History at the Austrian Academy of Sciences
CHAIR:
Matt James | Political Scientist, Associate Professor at the University of Victoria, Canada
This Round Table is organised by the Vienna Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies (VWI) in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the University of Victoria – Centre for Gobal Studies and the Jewish Museum Vienna.
Free admission
Advance booking requested: Tel.: +43 1 535 04 31-1510 or e-mail: events@jmw.at
WELCOME:
Barbara Staudinger | Director of the Jewish Museum Vienna
Moritz Wein | Austrian Federal Ministery for Education, Science and Research
EXPERTS ON THE PANEL:
Jochen Böhler on the case of Poland | Historian, Director of the VWI
Helga Embacher on the case of Austria | Historian, Professor at the University of Salzburg
Éva Kovács on the case of Hungary | Sociologist, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs at the VWI
Ljiljana Radonić on the case of the post-Yugoslav space Political | Scientist, Vice-Director of the Institute of Culture Studies and Theatre History at the Austrian Academy of Sciences
CHAIR:
Matt James | Political Scientist, Associate Professor at the University of Victoria, Canada
This Round Table is organised by the Vienna Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies (VWI) in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the University of Victoria – Centre for Gobal Studies and the Jewish Museum Vienna.
Free admission
Advance booking requested: Tel.: +43 1 535 04 31-1510 or e-mail: events@jmw.at
