Magazine of the Education Agenda NS-Injustice 2024

Burglinde, you have been working as a trainer for anti-discriminatory political education for many years. What is special about working with adults?

Burglinde: On the one hand, I think that working with adults is not that different from working with teenagers. After all, everyone has absorbed antisemitic ideas in their own socialization. On the other hand, adults often feel that they already know a lot and are therefore sometimes less open-minded. That can be a barrier. Adults also have a more pronounced sense of something like social desirability or taboos, and therefore don’t always say what they think up front. This can also make it more difficult to deal with the topic in an educational context.

Are there specific features of antisemitism-critical work in the corporate context?

Burglinde: Definitely. In general, companies do not consider themselves to be candidates for dealing with the issue of antisemitism. And when companies accept such an invitation, it always involves examining their own corporate culture.

One might ask what the BVB has to do with antisemitism. Amelie, why do you think companies should deal with antisemitism?

Amelie: The BVB has been actively involved in working against discrimination for over ten years now. We implement Holocaust remembrance projects and prevention projects to counter antisemitism. We have also felt the resurgence of antisemitism since October 7, 2023. As a part of civil society, we cannot evade this and must assume responsibility – with a clear stand against antisemitism and any other form of discrimination. Being a soccer club, we are a social player with great appeal that can reach the most diverse groups of people – including those that other players may no longer have access to. Only when we exemplify these values within the company will we be able to have an impact on our key stakeholder groups such as fans and their communities. This is why training our employees is a logical continuation of our commitment.

Burglinde: In my opinion, it’s fantastic that the BVB decided to tackle this issue. The fact is that antisemitism is not limited to certain areas of society.

Let’s talk about the structure of the “Informed, courageous, committed!” program. Why is the blended learning format, a combination of face-to-face and online teaching, so unique?

Burglinde: For me as a trainer, the blended learning format was something new and I think it worked quite well. First of all, the four workshops gave us a lot of time with the participants. That’s great, because antisemitism is a complex and emotionally charged phenomenon. We had enough time to build a relationship, break down inhibitions talking about the issue and create a trusting environment. Secondly, it is also beneficial that a lot of knowledge is already imparted between the workshops on the learning platform with videos, interactive illustrations, texts and groups. As trainers, we thus have the opportunity to focus more on self-reflection and dialog in the workshops. Many voices can be heard and we can use specific case studies to jointly discuss how to recognize and respond to antisemitism.

Amelie: What I found particularly exciting about this advanced training course was the interaction with my colleagues on the topic of antisemitism. That simply doesn’t get enough attention in the daily business. The blended learning concept also provided the greatest possible flexibility. We were able to prepare for the content in the self-study phases and then discuss it together in the workshops.

Amelie, what made you decide to take part?

Amelie: When dealing with antisemitism you always start with the individual. Although I have already had some experience with the topic, it is still very important for me to continue to develop personally. Antisemitism is very complex and in order to identify it in all its forms, understand it and be able to react to it, you need to continuously deal with the topic.

Looking back, what made a particularly lasting impression on you during the advanced training course?

Amelie: As I am jointly responsible for anti-discrimination work at BVB, I have already dealt a lot with antisemitism. The biggest “eureka” moment was that I still learned so many new things, despite the various advanced training courses I’ve taken. For example, I personally had never dealt with antisemitism in the leftwing spectrum in depth before.

Burglinde: Even though I have been working in this field for many years and have studied antisemitism academically, I am always surprised at the new variants that emerge. Antisemitism is a very adaptable creature.

Amelie, would you personally recommend other companies to take part in the program?

Amelie: A clear yes. I highly recommend every company to participate. We all have a social responsibility and employers have a large sphere of influence, as work plays a very important role for many people these days. For me, the workplace is therefore the ideal place for such an offering.

It’s a great opportunity for employees to improve their personal skills. Especially on topics that at first glance seem to have nothing to do with their own specific field. Antisemitism affects us all: there are still old thought patterns in our society that reproduce antisemitism today. I don’t think many people are aware of this. That’s why it's helpful and important to reflect on and understand where antisemitic images and thought patterns come from in adulthood, and to be aware of them. The advanced training has also built confidence in dealing with specific antisemitic situations, whether in the digital space or in everyday life. In retrospect, that's why I think the advanced training was so successful.

Burglinde: I also think that companies should deal with the issue of antisemitism. Moreover, I believe that much of what participants learn in the “Informed, courageous, committed!” course can also be adapted to other phenomena of group focused enmity and is generally beneficial for coexistence.