Israel's Yad Vashem memorial is establishing its first overseas branches in Munich and Leipzig, Germany, driven by declining knowledge of the Holocaust among younger generations.

A 2025 survey found that about 40% of Germans aged 18–29 are unaware that six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis. Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan says the primary goal is Holocaust education and fighting antisemitism.

Dayan criticizes the AfD party, calling its roots Nazi ideology, and claims the centers will strengthen German democracy. However, some experts, including Meron Mendel, director of the Anne Frank Educational Center in Frankfurt, question Yad Vashem's independence.

Mendel argues that Yad Vashem answers to the Israeli government, currently dominated by far-right politicians, and could reflect their agenda. Dayan denies this, insisting Yad Vashem is independent and often takes positions opposing the government.

The centers will not be museums but interactive educational spaces. Dayan fears that after the last survivors die, Holocaust deniers will gain traction, warning that the world is moving toward the 1930s, but today's generation cannot plead ignorance.

Source: www.dw.com