Lessons from Holocaust Perpetration Learned by German Law Enforcement?

Abstract

While right-wing extremism and related hate crimes, and anti-Semitism rise, Holocaust education for law enforcement provides crucial historical awareness and strengthens competence in decision-making and ethical judgment. In Berlin, law enforcement officers participate in Holocaust education programs at the Wannsee Conference Memorial and the Topography of Terror on the grounds of the former Reich Security Main Office (Reichsicherheitshauptamt). While the law enforcement officers participating in the programs possess basic pre-knowledge of the Holocaust and Nazi-era crimes, the programs help them deepen their understanding of Nazi history. However, they demonstrate limited awareness of perpetrator research and the role of the German Order Police (Ordnungspolizei) in the Nazi era, with little improvement in this area after the Holocaust Education programs at memorials based in Berlin. This highlights the need for more comprehensive educational efforts to address these gaps and foster a more thorough understanding of their institutional history.