The Franklin D. Roosevelt
Presidential Library and Museum
-- in commemoration of
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
and the 75th anniversary of the
liberation of Auschwitz --
will launch
"Investigating the Holocaust,"
a new
online educational resource of the
Library's
Morgenthau Holocaust
Collections Project
Monday, January 27, 2020
HYDE PARK, NY - On Monday, January 27, 2020, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum -- in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz -- will launch
"Investigating the Holocaust" a new short film series and K-12 curriculum on Nazi Germany, genocide, and justice, from the restored documentary, Nurnburg: Its Lesson for Today
. This online resource (
fdrlibrary.org/morgenthauproject
) features documentary footage in combination with extensive curriculum guide teaching tools for incorporating primary sources in the classroom.
"Investigating the Holocaust" combines compelling videos with historic documents, tracing the history of the Nazi Party from its inception through World War II and the policies that led to the murder of millions of innocent people. The videos feature original film footage used as evidence by the International Military Tribunal at the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, Germany -- the most famous courtroom drama in modern times, and the first to make extensive use of film as evidence. The corresponding curriculum guide covers 24 themes, with 42 questions related to the videos. It defines 58 vocabulary words, presents 24 primary source documents and raises 33 essential questions.
The 14 video segments are selected from NUREMBERG: ITS LESSON FOR TODAY [Schulberg/Waletsky Restoration] -- a newly restored and re-released version of Pare Lorentz and Stuart Schulberg's original 1946 documentary film.
"Investigating the Holocaust" is part of the Henry Morgenthau Jr. Holocaust Collections Project, a pathfinding initiative to discover and share unique but dispersed Holocaust subject material across the Roosevelt Library's archival holdings. This video and curriculum series provides viewers with background historical context and primary source evidence helpful to investigate or analyze the Roosevelt Administration's response to the Holocaust.
"The Morgenthau Holocaust Project offers digital resources for public exploration in new and exciting ways. In digitizing, developing creative research guides and teaching tools, we open new avenues for the public to use our unique and remarkable collection of Holocaust-related material. This is crucial for meeting National Archives and Records Administration's stated mission of "Making Access Happen,"
FDR Library Director Paul Sparrow
said. "The response of the Roosevelt Administration to the refugee and genocidal issues they faced hold important lessons for us today."
The National Archives holds and provides access to millions of records that document Nazi war crimes, wartime refugee issues, and activities and investigations of U.S. Government agencies.
Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero
is a strong supporter of digitization projects throughout the National Archives. "I want to digitize everything in our holdings, about 15 billion pieces of paper and parchment, 43 million photographs, and miles of film and video," he said. "The FDR Library's Morgenthau Holocaust Collection Project is an important part of that goal. It combines digital access with historical context, scholarship, and educational outreach, which is critically important for students and scholars."
In 2017, the FDR Library launched the
Morgenthau Holocaust Collections Project
-- a curatorial pathfinding initiative named in honor of Henry Morgenthau, Jr., FDR's friend, advisor, Cabinet member, and head of the War Refugee Board. Morgenthau's Papers and Diaries are part of the Library's archival collection, and the Morgenthau Holocaust Collections Project combines research, digitization, public programs, educational resources, an exhibit and a scholarly conference scheduled for 2021.
Please contact Cliff Laube at (845) 486-7745 with questions about the project.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
