Forgotten Heroes? Jewish Footballers and the Holocaust

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, the LJMU History Department are offering a workshop to sixth form students interested in this area.

Students will engage with translated primary sources from the Arolsen Archives in Germany and use their own research skills to trace the history of Jewish footballers during the Holocaust. They will learn more about important players, such as Julius Hirsch, one of Germany’s first internationals and part of championship winning sides, who was murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz. Another story is that of Eddy Hamel, one of Ajax Amsterdam’s first star players, who also deported and murdered in Auschwitz. The workshop aims to allow students to engage with the “difficult history” of the Holocaust through the lens of football. Yet it also wants to encourage students to remember the victims as individuals who in this case shared the same passion for the game.

The workshop will be delivered through small-group work and research by the students themselves. LJMU will provide all materials and resources for the participants. The workshop was developed by pedagogical staff at the “Arolsen Archives – International Center on Nazi Prosecution” and was supported by Borussia Dortmund football club.

The workshop will take place between 10am and 2pm on Wednesday 26th January 2022. Students can register to attend this event here. If you would like to propose bringing a group of students to the workshop please contact me at [email protected].