Learning from real-life stories rather than abstract texts about the Second World War and the Shoah: this is now possible with the free, digitally available workbook Learning from Life Stories. A workbook accompanying the ‘Asking the Pope for Help’ project. Based on four biographies of Jewish victims of persecution, students can independently discover, explore and reflect on Jewish life during the era of totalitarianism, the World War and the Shoah.
The workshops took place in the religious education and history classes. Initially, the students could inform themselves about the research work of the team in Münster and Rome through different films. Subsequently, they worked highly motivated and independently on the life stories of the young rabbinical candidate Martin Wachskerz and the Jewish-born Meta Sommerfeld, who converted to Catholicism, in group work. Additionally, the history class of year 12 had the opportunity to ask the project leader Professor Hubert Wolf questions about the project, his motivation, and his academic career via video conference.
During a week-long retreat for the project "Asking the Pope for Help," a team from the Hamburg-based agency "Fork Unstable Media" presented the current designs for the new homepage. In addition to the scientific staff and assistants, the volunteer Citizen Scientists of the project were particularly well represented. They actively engaged in the discussions with a variety of ideas and suggestions for improvement.
the theologian Lorena König will write her dissertation at the Cluster of Excellence on Romania’s special position, analyzing the processes that protected numerous Jews who converted to the Catholic faith from being deported to an extermination camp. The three-year position is funded by the Cluster of Excellence Religion and Politics at the University of Münster.
At a launch event on January 23, 2023, at the Catholic Academy in Munich, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Hubert Wolf and his team from the University of Münster will present their research project "Asking the Pope for Help". In addition to answering initial overarching questions arising from the edition, Hubert Wolf will also discuss the project with prominent guests.
