The REMEMCHILD project focuses on amplifying the voices of children and women, highlighting their experiences during and memories of wartime in Europe, particularly around the Second World War and the early postwar period.
Children were among the most vulnerable during the Second World War. Many Jewish and Roma children were victims of the Holocaust, children with disabilities were subjected to abuse and experimentation, and children of Resistance members often faced violence. War uprooted children, leaving them interned, displaced, orphaned, or otherwise marginalized. They were victims, protagonists, and survivors, yet their memories and agency are often overlooked in the broader narrative of conflict.
Women played pivotal roles during wartime. Beyond being victims of violence, many were Resistance fighters, combatants, medical and sanitary workers, members of the rear-guard, humanitarian volunteers, mothers, and caregivers for their children and communities.
Expected Results
The project aims to engage diverse audiences, including children, youth, researchers, humanitarian organizations, memorial institutions, educators, artists, and refugees. Its activities will highlight the experiences and memories of women and children during wartime. Key outcomes include:
- A campaign titled Walls Against Oblivion.
- Workshops on using testimonial materials, such as children’s drawings and videos, as pedagogical tools.
- An exhibition
- A Congress
Partners
The project is coordinated by UNED – Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Madrid), in collaboration with a network of partners: EUROCLIO, EUROM-University of Barcelona Solidarity Foundation, ICMEMO-ICOM, Peace Museum of Gernika, Fondazione Campo di Fossoli, Maison d’Izieu, and Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
Related activities
International Congress: Childhoods and Women in Memories of War
October 23 and 24, 2024 | University of Barcelona
The International Congress, a culmination of the REMEMCHILD project (Remembering Childhood in European Wartimes), explores the intricate connections between childhood and wartime experiences, as well as the transformations across contemporary history. It examines childhoods as agents, victims, or recipients of war and its aftermath, whose histories are deeply intertwined with factors such as gender and colonial systems. Recognizing that war memories extend beyond the conflict’s timeline, the panels and conferences will emphasize women’s roles as agents of social change, the meanings of childhood war experiences, and the enduring impact of colonialism. Attendees will also have the chance to visit the exhibition Childhoods in a World at War (1939–1945), created as part of the REMEMCHILD project.
Exhibition: Childhoods in a world at war (1939-1945)
March 5 – Abril 8, 2024 | UNED Central Library (Madrid)
Presentation on March 5, 2024 at 12 pm
From 1939 to 1945, millions of children endured a profound transformation of their daily lives as a result of the Second World War. This exhibition, also available online, provides an overview of childhood experiences during this period, highlighting the importance of peace in both contemporary society and for future generations, using powerful narratives and real-life examples from the recent past.
The exhibition will be unveiled to the public on March 5 at 12 p.m. during the roundtable discussion titled “Women, Peace, and the Protection of Children.” The event will be livestreamed and can be accessed in this link. The exhibition catalogue is available for download here.
Webinar: The experience of women and children during wartime
June 8, 2023 | 4,30 pm
This roundtable, organized by the European Association of History Educators (EuroClio) as part of the REMEMCHILD project, will reflect on the wartime experiences of women and children in Europe, focusing particularly on the Spanish Civil War, the Second World War, and the conflicts of the 1990s in the Western Balkans.
Webinar: The Use of Video Testimonies in the Classroom
May 24, 2023 | 4 pm – 5,30 pm
Related videos
Palylists | Rememchild International Congress
Related project