Oral histories are more than a traditional way of preserving history. Often passed down through generations, these stories are meaningful primary sources that help paint a more complete picture of the events of the past through the eyes of the people who lived it.

Use these powerful oral history resources to teach the Holocaust in your classroom.

For grades 9–12

Enlarge

Remembering the Holocaust from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press

 

The moving documentary volume Remembering the Holocaust brings together fourteen interviews of Holocaust survivors who later settled in Wisconsin. With words and photographs, they describe the richness of pre-war Jewish life in Europe; the advent of prescriptive laws, arrests, and deportation; the unspeakable horrors of the Nazi camps; and ultimately the liberation and postwar experiences of the survivors.

Find the book 

The following education materials include discussion questions to guide students’ reading of the book, a local history research project, and an oral history project.

Download the grades 9–12 education materials

For grades 5–8

Due to the graphic nature of the oral histories included in Remembering the Holocaust, it is not recommended for use in grades 5-8.

The following education materials allow elementary and middle school students to listen to, read, and reflect on short oral history recordings from Holocaust survivors. (While the content of these audio segments is upsetting, all are appropriate for students in grades 5-8). Then, students can follow the steps to conduct an oral history project of their own.

Download the grades 5–8 education materials