Recommendation of the book and DVD Taking the Stand

Recommendation of the book “Taking the Stand: We Have More to Say”

The Department of Political Education at the Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture is pleased that, with the publication in 2012 of the book and DVD by Bernhard Rammerstorfer entitled “Taking the Stand: We Have More to Say” (The German edition entitled “Im Zeugenstand: Was wir noch sagen solten” was released in 2012.), a highly recommended resource has become available for use in educational institutions and schools for the purposes of raising awareness of, providing proof of, and vividly invoking the human suffering that the National Socialist state apparatus

The strategy employed in the project is particularly noteworthy: questions were sent from educational institutions all over the world, and 100 of these were selected and put to nine people, also from different countries, who were victimized by the National Socialists’ totalitarian system of rule for various reasons. Selected answers from the survivors are included on a DVD as an audiovisual document, together with accompanying educational material.

This approach means that the accounts and memories related by the witnesses of history in the interviews can be compared, and they also represent irrefutable testimony of the consequences of a policy of marginalization, segregation, dehumanization, and even murder of those groups specifically identified by the National Socialists as a result of their obsession with race.

The Department of Political Education at the Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Mr. Bernhard Rammerstorfer for the years he has spent accompanying the witness of history Leopold Engleitner, and for the commitment he showed that led to the publication of this book.

Vienna, February 29, 2012

Manfred Wirtitsch

On behalf of the Ministry

1014 Wien Minoritenplatz 5

T 01 531 20-0

F 01 531 20-3099

ministerium@bmukk.gv.at

www.bmukk.gv.at