The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) is pleased to welcome you to the Survivor Speakers Bureau.
The Survivor Speakers Bureau — SSB, for short — is a vast database of Holocaust survivors willing and able to tell their stories. As the Holocaust survivor population wanes, it is more critical than ever that survivors tell their stories. The SSB exists to facilitate their vital telling by forging connections between survivors and those who want to listen and learn.
This transformative platform offers a direct link to history as survivors passionately convey their firsthand experiences, providing invaluable insights into the human impact of one of the darkest chapters in history. By listening to first-hand accounts, students embark on a captivating journey of discovery as survivors transport them beyond textbooks into the poignant realities of the Holocaust, ensuring that every classroom resonates with the raw emotion and unwavering resilience of survivor testimonies.
The SSB stands as a beacon of remembrance, inspiring future generations to confront hatred and intolerance with courage and compassion. Institutions are encouraged to join this meaningful initiative by registering on the SSB’s website, where each request is thoughtfully reviewed to connect survivors with eager audiences. Together, let us honor the voices of survivors and ensure that their stories continue to shape hearts and minds for generations to come.
To request a survivor speaker, please follow the steps below.
First, please register your institution. Select “Get Started” to access the intake form.
Once you have registered, input the details of your request.
A Survivor Engagement Coordinator will follow up with you to arrange a connection with one of our survivor speakers.
We can assist you in finding a speaker whose availability aligns with your class schedule, ensuring a seamless integration of their presentation into your curriculum.
Survivors are available to share their stories either over Zoom or (where available) live in the classroom.
Customizing your lesson for a specific event or location? Our survivor speakers, from diverse backgrounds worldwide, enrich your students’ learning.
Our survivor speakers witnessed a time in history when hate speech thrived. Their stories teach students the importance of seeking truth.
Dive deep into the heart of Holocaust history with immersive real-life experiences. Our speakers, firsthand witnesses to this dark chapter, bring the past to life, offering students a profound connection to the events that shaped our world.
Step into the world of Holocaust education with engaging real-world experiences. Through interactive personal testimonies, our speakers ignite curiosity and empathy, empowering students to become active participants in preserving history.
Discover the power of firsthand accounts through our Survivor Speakers Bureau, where survivors share their stories over Zoom, providing flexible scheduling to align seamlessly with your classroom curriculum. Journey into history as survivors impart invaluable lessons, enriching students’ understanding and connection to the past.
It is one thing to read about the Holocaust in a textbook, a few paragraphs about the global politics of World War II and the history of Europe. It is another thing altogether to sit with someone who was deported from their hometown, stripped of everything they own, made to live in hiding or to endure a concentration camp. If speaking directly with the few remaining survivors makes an impact for even one person, I am more than willing to participate.
— Holocaust survivor Hanne Holsten, in the United States
No. The Survivor Speakers Bureau’s services are entirely free and fully subsidized by the German government. Survivor speakers are volunteers who understand the incredible importance of telling their stories.
In order to ensure that we have enough time to find the most appropriate speaker for your group, please submit your request at least three weeks before your desired date.
Please make sure that you have the necessary technical accommodations required for displaying a Zoom video call for your entire room.
The Survivor Speakers Bureau is currently available in the United States and Germany. All survivor speakers located in the United States are fluent in English and all survivor speakers located in Germany are fluent in German. Many members of the speakers bureau are also fluent in Russian, Hebrew, Dutch, French, and other languages. In the future, we hope to incorporate translation services as well.
The Claims Conference does not publicly list SSB participants to guarantee the safety, security, and privacy of our speakers. After you register and submit your request, a Survivor Engagement Coordinator will contact you privately with your speaker’s information.
For all other questions, please contact our Survivor Engagement Coordinators:
