On May 17th in St. Petersburg a workshop was held on “Documentary Photography as a Condition of Developing Historical Empathy.” The event was held at school № 278 in the context of the Second All-Russian Scientific Practical Conference, “St. Petersburg- the Cultural Capital,” by the Academy of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education.
School teachers from St. Petersburg were asked to analyze historical photographs related to the history of the Holocaust. The photographs sparked a lively discussion devoted to anti-Semitism in Prussian society in the early 20th century. The images illustrated the complex problem of xenophobia, which is not only influenced by public policy, but is also influenced by societal sentiment.
As a result of the workshop, many teachers demonstrated an interest in using historical photographs in their classrooms.
Boris Romanov is the Coordinator of Social Projects for “Citizens Watch,” which organized the workshop. Romanov welcomes cooperation in conducting training for teachers and students on the Holocaust or modern genocides through the use of historical photographs.