A 2021 survey of members of MAKKABI Germany, which represents around 40 Jewish sports clubs across the country, found that 39% had personally experienced at least one antisemitic incident in sports or related to their club membership. When antisemitic remarks or discriminatory behaviour occur in sport, coaches have a particular responsibility. Their response is crucial, not just in the moment, but in shaping the club's overall stance on antisemitism.
For years, ZWEITZEUGEN e.V. has offered an intensive training programme that equips educators to run antisemitism-awareness workshops independently. However, these programmes are often difficult for volunteers in sports clubs to implement due to time constraints. The new project by ZWEITZEUGEN e.V., in collaboration with Zusammen1, bridges this gap by offering a low-threshold, easily integrated format that fits into everyday club life.
Strengthening Historical Knowledge and Actionability
The programme combines ZWEITZEUGEN e.V.’s biographical approach to Holocaust education with Zusammen1's movement-based prevention methods. The "Heart-Head-Hands" principle employed by ZWEITZEUGEN e.V. fosters an emotional connection through survivor testimonies, provides historical knowledge, and links it to everyday situations, thus enhancing participants' ability to act effectively in the present.
Zusammen1 complements this with movement-oriented formats, specifically designed to be practical and directly applicable to the sporting context. Participants learn to interpret antisemitic remarks both historically and in contemporary settings, challenge their own assumptions, and take decisive action. The programme is inclusive, presented in accessible language, and adapted to meet various learning needs.
From Pilot Project to Nationwide Model
North Rhine-Westphalia, where ZWEITZEUGEN e.V. has been working with schools, fan projects, and Bundesliga football clubs for years, provides the ideal setting for this pilot project. As the most populous federal state and with one of the densest club landscapes in Germany, it is an excellent starting point to test new formats and gradually scale them nationwide. In close cooperation with umbrella and partner organisations, the project is forming new partnerships with clubs from various sports.
Antisemitism Prevention as a Community Task
The project aims to create a snowball effect: Coaches who are sensitised to the issue can bring it back to their clubs, making antisemitism prevention a shared community responsibility.
The Alfred Landecker Foundation supports this initiative because antisemitism takes different forms depending on the context, making projects in various areas of life necessary. Club sports have a unique reach, engaging millions of people across generations and social backgrounds, including many who are less likely to engage with traditional educational formats. Coaches who take a clear stand and respond decisively can transform the culture of their clubs, strengthening democratic principles where they are most needed every day.
In collaboration with ZWEITZEUGEN e. V.
ZWEITZEUGEN e.V. is an organisation operating across Germany that empowers educators to independently conduct Holocaust and antisemitism workshops in schools, extracurricular education centres, and in sport.
Partner of ZWEITZEUGEN e.V.: Zusammen1
Zusammen1 is a prevention project of MAKKABI Deutschland, aimed at sports clubs and associations in Germany. It develops formats that combine educational work with movement.