New Book “Holocaust and Other Genocides” Launches in Prague

USC Shoah Foundation International Training Consultant Martin Šmok presented the new Czech version of the popular educational resource Holocaust and Other Genocides in Prague on January 13.

Holocaust and Other Genocides was originally published by NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Amsterdam in 2012. Its authors included Maria van Haperen, who has led teacher trainings on IWitness in the Netherlands, and Uğur Üngör, who gave a public lecture in April at USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research. It includes chapters on the Holocaust, Armenian Genocide, Rwandan Genocide, Cambodian Genocide, Crisis and Genocide in Yugoslavia, and the crime of genocide and international law.

The Czech version of the book was published by the PANT civic association, an Institute partner in Czech Republic. The Czech version is enhanced with testimony clips from the Visual History Archive, pointers on IWitness, sample lessons and a section on the Ukrainian Famine based on the USC Shoah Foundation-produced teacher’s resource Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933: The Human Dimension of the Tragedy.  One thousand copies have been sent to local educators.

Holocaust and Other Genocides will also be published as a resource on IWitness.

Šmok presented the book to a packed audience of 130 guests at the Havel Presidential Library in Prague on Jan. 13. His talk, "Why should we be interested in the genocides of the past?" presented the USC Shoah Foundation and its work, stages of genocide, repetitive enemy constructs, propaganda, current conflicts and society upheaval and educational resources being offered. He also screened three clips, directed the public towards IWitness and its online accessible testimony content and directed the discussion after.

Though there were some clashes between a Turkish consular officer and Armenian community members at the presentation, Šmok said he was able to diffuse the situation and point out the educational value of the incident. At the end of the presentation the Turkish officer shook hands with the Armenian ambassador.