The Archivists and the Forgotten Boxes: For Teachers
Novel is also available as a PDF
Scene 1: One day at the Historical Archives of Belgrade
Investigative tasks
Research tasks
- Explain, what do you think why the archivists decided that they “have to do something” and what inspired them to start that big job?
- Research what is a “historical archive” and what does it deal with? Find on the internet which historical archives exist in Serbia? Is there one in your place?
- Research what archivists do? What are their main tasks? Explore what everyday work looks like in a historical archive.
- What do historians do? Explore how the process of historical research unfolds, that is, how historians research history.
- Prepare a presentation about the work of archivists and historians (can be in a group). Make a short interview with a historian and an archivist (make the interview via email, by phone, or if possible - visit them at their workplace). Explore what inspired them to choose their profession and what is, in their opinion, the best and the hardest when you are a historian or an archivist? Draw your own conclusions and list three things that are most interesting in the job of historians and archivists. (suggestion: present your presentation to the class speaking in the first person - as if you are a historian, or an archivist.)
- Describe what happened in the camp at Sajmište? Why is Sajmište a symbol of the destruction of Jews in Serbia?
- The illustrations show a well-known bookstore of the publishing company Geza Kon. Research who Geza Kon was. List 3 examples of books for children and youth published by his publishing company. Find where Geza Kon’s bookstore was located in Belgrade. Explore what is there today.
- One of the illustrations shows a beautiful building with two domes, reminiscent of a church. Research what kind of building it is. Where exactly was it located in Belgrade and does it still exist today? Research what happened and what is there today.
- One of the illustrations shows a music orchestra. Research the most famous typical Jewish music styles in the world and in our country. Find several video examples of Jewish music on the internet.
- One of the illustrations shows various Nazi books, posters, and photographs. Among other things, there is a book written by Adolf Hitler. Research what that book is, when it was written, and what ideology Hitler propagated in that book. What is racism? What is anti-Semitism? Explain in your own words why racism, as well as all other forms of xenophobia, including anti-Semitism, are dangerous and contrary to the democratic and civilizational values we respect today.
- The same illustration also shows a yellow ribbon. Explain who was forced to wear a yellow ribbon around their arm and why?