According to a study, the history of National Socialism still arouses great interest among 16 to 25 year olds. 63 percent of them and thus more than the average of all age groups deal with it, as determined by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence (IKG) at Bielefeld University.
“The youth study paints a picture of interested, committed and sensitized youth in Germany,” said IKG social psychologist Jonas Rees at the presentation on Tuesday in Berlin.
A total of 75 percent of the adolescents and young adults surveyed were particularly interested in factual knowledge. In this context, 51 percent of those surveyed would like more visits to historical sites. “Young people want to understand and learn, not be entertained. We need interactive and participatory offers for teaching history,” emphasized Andrea Despot, Chair of the Foundation for Remembrance, Responsibility and Future.
According to Despot, the study also highlighted educational deficits. Just under half of those questioned could fully name the period of Nazi rule. Knowledge about individual groups of victims is also often lacking. “The gaps in knowledge are there, and they are substantial,” Despot explained. In order to minimize this, a wide range of offers are necessary that are geared to the needs of young people.
