Monday, June 13, 2016

Saxony History

From the DW:
"History made compulsory for students in Saxony"

High school students in Saxony may become a bit out of touch with geography and more familiar with 20th century history as of next year. A new rule will make history compulsory for students in the eastern German state. Saxon Premier Stanislaw Tillich has said his state's students in the 10th grade will no longer be able to choose between geography and history as of the coming school year, which begins in early August. "As of the coming school year, history will be compulsory," he told Thursday's edition of the daily "Rheinische Post." The change in curriculum is intended to promote students' ability to question neo-Nazi and other far-right racist and xenophobic views. "Young people have to learn and understand the difference between freedom and democracy on one hand and totalitarianism and dictatorship on the other," Tillich said. In addition to the 10th grade, the history of the 20th century, particularly Germany's role in both World War One, World War Two and the Holocaust, is addressed extensively in several ways in classes on religion and ethics, politics and German literature. The history of divided Germany, with Saxony formerly a part of communist East Germany, also features on the curriculum. A number of xenophobic attacks have taken place in Saxony in recent years and even the behavior of police officers and politicians has been called into question. The anti-Islamic group PEGIDA also has its roots in the Saxon capital of Dresden.


^ This doesn't make any sense. Every child in every country around the world needs to learn history - especially the history of their own country. It is even more important for a German child living in the former East Germany to learn their own history (the crimes of the Nazis (World War 2, the Holocaust) and the crimes of Communist East Germany. It's all well and good to touch on these subjects in different classes - like religion, politics, etc - but history is meant for history class. Teaching a German only Geography gives them the best way to invade and occupy a country, but teaching a German History tells them why they shouldn't. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/history-made-compulsory-for-students-in-saxony/a-19318161

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