September 23, 2012
Awarding of the Golden Menorah on occasion of the New Years reception of the Jewish community Bergisches Land at the synagogue of Wuppertal with school minister Sylvia Löhrmann.
May 29, 2008
‚Silver shoe‘ for the project group ‚Jewish cemetery‘! The ‚Silver shoe‘ is the Solingen Award for civil courage and stands for the courageous advocacy of minorities in our society. Since 2004 it is awarded by the ‚Alliance for Tolerance and Civil Courage‘ every year on occasion of the anniversary of the Solingen arson attac on the Turkish family Genc. The laudation stated:
„The project group of the Comprehensive School of Solingen was founded in 1988 under the direction of the teacher Wilhelm Bramann and in August 1990 the now responsible teacher Michael Sandmöller took over. The following focus of activities was set:
- Maintainance work at the Jewish cemetery at Estherweg
- Correspondence with emigrated Jews from Solingen
- Addressing the topic ‚Jews and Germany‘ – and since 1994
- Sponsorship and school exchange programm with Junior High School „Menachem Begin“ in Ness Ziona, twinning town of Israel
For more than 20 years these activities were realized by more than 200 students of all ages with acknowledgeable committment and astonishing enthusiasm. From students belonging to a whole different generation than the NS perpetrators. Not remorse is the mainspring, but acting according to their self chosen slogan: „We will advocate to never again let incomprehension and hate rule our behavior towards our fellow human beings, but understanding and love.“
June 19, 2000
Federal award for the project group! At the competition ‚Solidarity of the generations‘ advertised by the ‚Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Senioren-Organisationen (BAGSO)‘ the project group ‚Jewish cemetery‘ from the Comprehensive School of Solingen was awarded the third prize. The award goes with a prize money of DM 1,000.
Out of 119 competitors across the nation the project won out because of ‚its model activities to establish a cooperation of generations‘ explained the jury which was formed by seven representatives from youth- and senior associations, social scientists and economics experts.
February 3, 1997
First prize at the students‘ competition! Out of 4361 presentations for the 26th students‘ competition for political education, the contribution of the project group ‚Jewish traces in our region‘ won a prize money of DM 300. The press release of the Federal center for political education states:
The very good and well structured work, the professionell but nevertheless students-oriented presentation impressed the jury.
June 15, 1989
A fictional interview with Ilse Shindel recorded on tape–a production of the project group–is rewarded in the context of the school competition „We Germans and our Eastern neighbors“.