Canadian Holocaust Resources

Canada has invested significantly in Holocaust education, remembrance and research. This includes:

In conjunction with the Chair Year of the IHRA, Canada will support several new initiatives to increase understanding of the Holocaust across the country. Initiatives are being developed with the support of government and community partners. Announcements will be made throughout the Chair year.

Education

Teacher Award
CIC will present a one-time award of $5,000 to recognize excellence in Holocaust education. Teachers have until May 15, 2013, to submit their nomination.

Community Historical Recognition Program – Jewish-Canadian Projects
The Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP) funded Jewish community-based commemorative and educational projects. The projects recognize wartime measures and immigration restrictions in place during World War II.

Canada’s Baseline Study
In 2008, Canada prepared a baseline study (PDF, 674 Kb) as part of its application for membership in the IHRA. The study outlines the current status of Holocaust education in Canadian schools and provides information on initiatives in the areas of Holocaust remembrance and research.

Museums and Educational Centres

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
The Canadian Museum of Immigration is located at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It includes an online gallery of stories from Jewish war orphans who came to Canada following the end of the Second World War.

Canadian Museum for Human Rights
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is scheduled to open in Winnipeg in 2014. There will be 12 permanent galleries, covering a wide range of issues, including human rights, mass atrocities and the Holocaust.

Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum is home to an extensive permanent exhibition of art, artefacts and photographs. The museum’s “Forged in Fire” gallery includes information on Canada’s role in liberating Bergen-Belsen, a Nazi concentration camp.

Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada contains over 600 virtual exhibits from institutions across Canada. It includes exhibits about the Second World War and the Holocaust.

Holocaust Education Centres
The Government of Canada works closely with community partners across the country. There are four major Holocaust education centres in Canada:

Remembrance

National Days

Raoul Wallenberg Day — January 17
In 2002, Parliament declared January 17 as Raoul Wallenberg Day, which is celebrated annually on the anniversary of his disappearance.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day — January 27
In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 as the International Day of Commemoration. This day commemorates the anniversary of the liberation by Soviet forces of over 7,000 prisoners from the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp.

Yom HaShoah – April/May
Yom HaShoah is Israel’s day of commemoration of the Holocaust. It is recognized in countries around the world. It is celebrated every spring on the 27th day of the Hebrew Calendar. In 2013, it will be celebrated from the evening of April 7 to the evening of April 8. A commemorative ceremony for politicians, dignitaries, Holocaust survivors and members of the public will be held in Ottawa on April 23, 2013.

Travelling Exhibitions
In 2013, two exhibitions examining Canada’s actions toward Jews during the Holocaust will be displayed in communities across Canada. The exhibits will raise awareness of this dark chapter in Canada’s history.

Raoul Wallenberg Centenary
Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat. He personally saved tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from extermination during the Holocaust. In 1985, he was made Canada’s first honorary citizen. In honour of the 100th anniversary of his birth, Canada supported the following initiatives:

  • Commemorative Stamp
    On January 17, 2013, Canada Post released a stamp in recognition of Raoul Wallenberg’s courage. The stamp also commemorates the 69th anniversary of his disappearance.
  • Travelling Exhibition
    The Canadian War Museum and the Toronto Reference Library, in cooperation with the Swedish Embassy in Ottawa, hosted the exhibition “To Me There’s No Other Choice.”

National Monuments

National Holocaust Monument
The National Holocaust Monument will be constructed in the National Capital Region. It will serve as a permanent reminder for Canadians of all faiths to stand together against intolerance and hatred.

Wheel of Conscience
The Wheel of Conscience monument is a tribute to the 937 Jewish passengers of the M.S. St. Louis. They were refused entry into Canada in 1939 and many subsequently died. The monument is located at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Commemoration

International Poster Competition
Canada and international partners will sponsor a poster competition. The winning posters will be unveiled on International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2014.

Research

2013 Academic Conference
An international academic conference will take place October 6–7, 2013, at the University of Toronto. The theme of the conference is New Scholars, New Research on the Holocaust. It will coincide with meetings of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in Toronto. The conference call for proposals closes on April 30, 2013.

Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network will expand its publically accessible Artefacts Canada website to allow Canadian museums and art galleries to include more information on the provenance of objects. It is an important tool for researchers and heirs around the world who are trying to identify and locate artworks and other cultural material lost during the Holocaust.

Nazi Germany, Canadian Responses: Confronting Antisemitism in the Shadow of War
Prominent scholars consider Canada's immigration policies and anti-Semitism during the Holocaust in this recent collection of essays. It was published in May 2012 with funding assistance from CIC.

National Gallery of Canada Provenance Research
The National Gallery is committed to researching works in its collection that were purchased, sold or created during the Nazi period and have an unknown provenance.

Max Stern Art Restitution Project
The Max Stern Art Restitution Project is led by Concordia University. Acting on behalf of the executors of the estate of Max Stern, it seeks the restitution of Stern’s art holdings that were confiscated or sold by force in Nazi Germany. It is one of the most recognized art restitution efforts in the world.