Police and the Holocaust

The Police and the Holocaust is an educational initiative designed to expose and engage law enforcement agencies and officers across Austria, Germany, and Poland with the history of the Holocaust and the role played by ordinary security forces in round-ups, deportations, and mass murder. Through guided visits to key historical sites, participants gain a deeper understanding of how genocide was implemented—and how institutional structures, obedience, and ideology enabled it.

The program also strengthens contemporary police training by equipping officers with the tools to recognize and confront antisemitism, extremism, and hate-based violence in Europe today.

The initiative is a joint program between the World Jewish Congress, What Matters, and the Villa ten Hompel. It is funded by the European Commission under the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) programme.

The Police and the Holocaust highlights the European and transnational dimensions of the Holocaust and contributes to preserving its memory as a cornerstone of the European Union’s values and commitments. The project seeks to encourage policymakers and public officials to develop sustainable frameworks and to embed Holocaust education as a core component of police training for future generations.