VIENNA — Policymakers, law enforcement representatives, and educational experts convened in Vienna for a high-level conference focused on integrating Holocaust education more effectively into police training in Austria.
The event brought together participants from Austria’s Ministry of the Interior, police institutions, memorial sites, and partner foundations to examine how historical education can inform contemporary policing practices. It also served as a platform to present findings from the first phases of an ongoing transnational initiative exploring the role of police during the Holocaust and its relevance for law enforcement today.
Opening remarks were delivered by senior Austrian officials, including Stephan Mlczoch and Oberst Lang of the Ministry of the Interior, who emphasized the importance of such initiatives in strengthening ethical awareness and professional responsibility within Austria’s police forces.
Dr. Andreas Kahrs of What Matters presented the structure and methodology of the program, highlighting its combination of classroom-based workshops and on-site visits to Holocaust locations, particularly in Poland. The project places a strong emphasis on examining the role of police as perpetrators, including through engagement with lesser-known sites connected to deportations and mass murder. Through archival materials, including documentation from early transports from Vienna to Sobibor in 1942, participants were able to trace the direct connection between local institutions and the machinery of persecution.
A central component of the conference was the participation of police officers who had taken part in earlier stages of the program. In small-group discussions, they shared firsthand reflections on engaging with this history as members of a contemporary law enforcement institution. These exchanges offered insight into how such educational initiatives influence professional identity, ethical judgment, and institutional awareness.
The conference also introduced initial research findings on the effectiveness of the program. Drawing on qualitative interviews with participants, organizers presented early evidence of its impact, demonstrating how immersive, site-based learning can shape attitudes and deepen understanding among police officers.
The initiative is implemented by an international consortium of partners, including What Matters and the World Jewish Congress, in cooperation with governmental and educational institutions across Europe. By bringing together policymakers and practitioners, the conference underscored the importance of sustained collaboration to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are embedded within modern frameworks of police education and democratic responsibility.
Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
