Europäische Sommer-Universität Ravensbrück

I was grateful for the opportunity to learn how neighboring countries—Italy, Denmark, and Poland—were influenced by Nazi ideology and policies until the end of the war.

In the afternoon, four workshops were held. Participants could choose from three themes introduced in the morning (Denmark, Poland, and Italy), as well as Facetten weiblicher Täterschaft (facets of female perpetration). This allowed students to deepen their understanding of a specific topic.

I personally chose the workshop on Italy, which focused on Täterforschung (perpetrator research). During the session, we divided into three groups, each reading a judicial proceeding record. In my group, we examined the case of a teenager who, caught up in Fascist propaganda, contributed to the arrest and eventual deportation of his teacher. The court later judged his actions to be the result of immaturity rather than deliberate wrongdoing.

To analyze the case, we applied three approaches:

1. Biographical approach – examining his life story and personal background.
2. Institutional approach – considering the role of schools, state structures, and propaganda.
3. Psychological approach – reflecting on his immaturity, imagination, and susceptibility to influence.

We also looked at aspects of Italian childhood during that period, such as education, family life, school activities, games, and toys, in order to better understand the perpetrator’s environment.

The lecture and workshop were very engaging for me, and I found the discussions both thought-provoking and valuable.