04 June 2021
Time to read: 4 mins
Werner Dreier, who has been a member of the Austrian delegation to the IHRA since 2001, received a prestigious Austrian national award for his long-lasting and influential work in education about the Holocaust and other crimes committed under National Socialism.
Heinz Fassman, the Austrian Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research, presented him with the esteemed award on 31 May in the rose garden of Vienna’s Volksgarten, next to a rose tree dedicated to Holocaust survivor Rudolf Gelbard. Minister Fassmann thanked Dr. Dreier for his important and fundamental work in the field. He also underlined the importance of continuous remembrance, his strong support for teaching and learning about the Holocaust and the essential role of _erinnern.at_ within Austria’s education system.
In February, Dr. Dreier retired from his position as director of _erinnern.at_, Austria’s Institute for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust, a post he held for over 20 years. He has agreed to remain a member of the Austrian delegation to the IHRA, however, a sign of his continued commitment to the field.
“Thank you for your sustainable engagement to remembering the victims of the Holocaust and for your educational work as director of _erinnern.at_. Your reflective and critical approach to education has had an important impact on Holocaust education in Austria. On behalf of my Ministry and as Chairwoman of _erinnern.at_, I would like to express my deep gratitude. We wish you all the best for your retirement and we are looking forward to our continuing work within the IHRA,” said Martina Maschke, Chairwoman of _erinnern.at_ and Head of the International Department for Holocaust Education in the Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Research, at the ceremony.
“Werner was and still is a valuable and cherished member of our team,” said Ambassador Michael Baier, Co-Head of the Austrian Delegation to the IHRA. “In his outstanding team spirit, he combines his singular gift of addressing complex and delicate issues with the patience of explaining them to us. I never cease to learn from him.”
Artist Malva Schalek’s story showing art as a form of resistance during the Holocaust became the focus of a short film, “Find Your Answers,” commissioned by the IHRA Project on Monitoring Access to Holocaust Collections.
The Remembering Hilda Dajč Award recognizes invaluable contributions to meaningful collective remembrance that encourage social responsibility and a better future.
By signing up to the IHRA newsletter, you agree to our Privacy Policy