Heritage

Contentsassessment points for peace education based on heritage75Fear can lead to a feeling of despair and powerlessness. Indifference is often expressedthrough cynical jokes, but it should also be seen as a shield behind which an emotionallyshocked child hides. Fascination for violence can, in some circumstances, getin the way of any feelings of empathy. In such cases, acts of violence are perceived asunreal, or sometimes even as pleasant and entertaining.Moreover, exhibiting extreme brutality and crimes against humanity from the past canmake current, apparently minor cruelties, seem less serious. Insight into the reasonsfor such human behaviour is required.In order to give students an idea of what victims of war and violence experience,use testimonies or stories that are connected to the children’s own environment. Theexample below is of a 19-year-old British second lieutenant who wrote a letter to afriend, another soldier aged 17, about the naval battle of Jutland in Denmark. Thetestimony tells us a great deal about the mixed emotions of young soldiers, nearly childrenthemselves, when they are faced with the real, difficult side of the war. It stands instark contrast to the propaganda, whose main purpose was to convince young men totake part in the war. The young man is inwardly tormented by both aspects of the war.Introducing students to testimonies written by young people who were their age at thetime enables them to become involved in those events and to reflect on the impact ofStudents making a showcase about life on board on one of the German warships duringthe battle of Jutland. © Tommy Bay/Strandingsmuseum St George. Denmark.