Antisemitism in Schools – Perspectives of Jewish Students, Interventions and Case Management Strategies

This research project was funded by the Austrian Security Research Program KIRAS of the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) and carried out as a collaboration between the Institute of Conflict Research (IKF, project lead), the LIKRAT dialogue project of the Jewish Community in Vienna (IKG), the Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance (DÖW), the OeAD program ERINNERN:AT, and ZARA – Civil Courage & Anti-Racism Work, commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Education (BMB).

This innovative project was based on the education-oriented aspects of the National Strategy against Antisemitism presented by the Austrian Federal Government in 2021, and the Austrian strategy paper "Preventing Antisemitism through Education", which presented concrete measures in 2022. It fills a knowledge and data gap regarding research on antisemitism prevention and professional responses to antisemitism in school contexts.

The consortium developed recommendations for professional conduct and case management strategies in the institutional context of schools, which were based on a mixed-method study of the experiences of Jewish students and students affected by or confronted with antisemitism. In terms of methods, the project combined problem-centered interviews with Jewish students in Vienna with a national quantitative online survey and photovoice workshops with classes at vocational schools, academic secondary schools (AHS), and professional education secondary schools (BHS) in Carinthia, Salzburg, Vienna, and Vorarlberg.

The handbook developed as part of the study is available online (in German). Web version: https://www.schule-ohne-antisemitismus.at or as a PDF download. It aims to provide teachers and school management with practical and professional strategies applicable to antisemitic incidents and statements. The recommendations address various forms of antisemitism.

At the event „Was tun? Antisemitismus in der Schule“ (“What to do? Antisemitism in schools”) on November 11, 2025, at the House of Austrian History, Karin Liebhart (project manager) and Stefanie Mayer presented the case management strategies and recommendations that had been developed in the project. The results were then discussed with experts and the audience.

Project team:

• Institute of Conflict Research IKF, Vienna (Project Lead), supported by the Jewish Community in Vienna, Youth Department/Likrat Project
• Federal Ministry of Education (Section III – Educational Development and Monitoring; Department III/8 – Bilateral International Education Affairs; Teaching Worldwide; Holocaust Education/Remembrance – International; National Strategy against Antisemitism)
• Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance DÖW, Vienna
• OeAD – Agency for Education and Internationalization (OeAD Program ERINNERN:AT), Vienna/Bregenz
• ZARA Civil Courage & Anti-Racism Work, Vienna