Aktion Kinder des Holocaust

Aktion Kinder des Holocaust (AKdH), also rendered in English as Action Children of the Holocaust, is a Swiss voluntary association established in 1991. Its principal focus is the documentation of antisemitism in Switzerland and the opposition of antisemitic expression and activity, including material published on Swiss websites. It is not a commercial consumer brand or conventional business; its public identity is that of a civil-society and anti-racism organization. AKdH combines research, monitoring, public criticism, and direct intervention. One of its distinctive methods is described as “Internet Streetworking”: members contact adolescents who appear uncertain, vulnerable to extremist influence, or involved in far-right online spaces, and attempt to engage them personally in order to challenge or redirect extremist views. This approach treats online forums and chatrooms as environments for intervention rather than merely as sources of offensive content. The association also maintains documentation of antisemitic statements and other relevant material originating in Switzerland or appearing on Swiss websites. Where it considers online content seriously objectionable, it has sought to pressure hosting providers to remove or terminate offending sites. These activities place AKdH at the intersection of Holocaust remembrance, antisemitism monitoring, youth intervention, internet governance, and anti-racist advocacy. The organization has been associated with University of Basel research projects concerning youth violence and right-wing youth in Switzerland. That association reflects an interest in the social and political environments in which extremist attitudes develop, particularly among young people. AKdH’s work therefore extends beyond commemorative activity: it documents contemporary antisemitism and attempts to respond to it through education, dialogue, public pressure, and legal channels. A prominent public controversy occurred in 2002, when AKdH criticized a cartoon by Brazilian political artist Carlos Latuff that depicted a Jewish boy in the Warsaw Ghetto saying “I am Palestinian.” In the same year, it brought a complaint against the Swiss Independent Media Center, also known as Indymedia Switzerland, over publication of the cartoon on grounds of antisemitism. Swiss criminal proceedings were later suspended. The episode illustrates the association’s willingness to challenge material it regards as antisemitic, while also placing it within wider debates about political expression, criticism of Israel, Holocaust imagery, and the limits of anti-racism law. Publicly noted members or supporters of the association’s patronage committee have included Israeli writer Uri Avnery, Swiss writers Peter Bichsel and Mariella Mehr, former Danish chief rabbi Bent Melchior, Swiss anti-racist activist Sigi Feigel, and Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal. The available reference material does not establish the organization’s current leadership, funding, staff size, present-day activities, or current legal status, so those details remain unconfirmed.

Aktion Kinder des Holocaust was founded in Switzerland in 1991 as a voluntary association concerned with antisemitism and Holocaust remembrance. Its work developed around the proposition that antisemitism should be addressed not only through historical education but also through contemporary monitoring and intervention. The association documents antisemitic statements made in Switzerland and statements appearing on Swiss websites, creating an archive of material that can support public criticism, research, and legal action. A distinctive element of its method is online youth intervention, which the organization calls “Internet Streetworking.” Members seek out adolescents participating in extremist online environments, especially young people who may be uncertain or susceptible to radicalization, and engage them directly. The goal is to challenge antisemitic or extremist views through personal communication rather than relying solely on removal or punishment. AKdH has also put pressure on hosting providers to terminate websites that it considers to contain offending material. The association has been linked with University of Basel research projects titled “VIOLENCE youth” and “Right-wing youths in Switzerland.” These connections place its activities within broader research into youth violence, right-wing politics, and the development of extremist attitudes in Switzerland. The most clearly documented public dispute involving AKdH occurred in 2002. The organization criticized a cartoon by Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff showing a Jewish boy in the Warsaw Ghetto saying “I am Palestinian.” AKdH regarded the imagery as antisemitic and subsequently sued the Swiss Independent Media Center, or Indymedia Switzerland, for publishing the cartoon. Swiss criminal proceedings were suspended later that year. The case became an example of the tensions surrounding Holocaust references, political cartoons, criticism of Israel, antisemitism definitions, and freedom of expression. The association’s patronage committee has been reported to include figures from Jewish, literary, anti-racist, and Holocaust-survivor communities. Named supporters include Uri Avnery, Peter Bichsel, Mariella Mehr, Bent Melchior, Sigi Feigel, and Simon Wiesenthal. The supplied sources do not provide reliable information about later organizational developments, current officers, finances, formal dissolution or continuing operations. Accordingly, the present status and current scope of AKdH should be verified separately.

• 2002

  Dispute over Carlos Latuff cartoon

  [1]Aktion Kinder des Holocausten.wikipedia.org

  AKdH publicly criticized a Carlos Latuff cartoon that used imagery of the Warsaw Ghetto and a Palestinian reference, characterizing it as antisemitic.

• 2002

  Complaint against Indymedia Switzerland

  [1]Aktion Kinder des Holocausten.wikipedia.org

  The association brought an antisemitism-related legal complaint against the Swiss Independent Media Center for publishing the cartoon; proceedings were later suspended.

• 1991

  Association founded in Switzerland

  [1]Aktion Kinder des Holocausten.wikipedia.org

  Aktion Kinder des Holocaust was established as a Swiss voluntary association dedicated principally to documenting and opposing antisemitism.

A Swiss civil-society organization combining antisemitism monitoring, Holocaust remembrance, youth intervention, online advocacy, and anti-racist action.

• Online youth intervention

  Internet Streetworking

  A direct-engagement method in which AKdH contacts adolescents encountered in extremist online forums and chatrooms. The stated purpose is to communicate with young people who may be insecure or open to influence and to encourage them away from antisemitic or extremist positions.

• Research and monitoring

  Antisemitism documentation

  The association collects and maintains documentation of antisemitic statements made in Switzerland or published on Swiss websites. The documentation supports awareness, advocacy, research, and possible action against offending content.

• 2002

  Latuff cartoon and Indymedia proceedings

  AKdH accused the publication of a Carlos Latuff cartoon of antisemitism and initiated proceedings against Indymedia Switzerland. The criminal case was subsequently suspended by a Swiss court.

  Source

Read more

• Internet Streetworking

  Switzerland · Online communities

  AKdH’s online intervention practice targets young people in extremist forums and chatrooms through personal communication intended to counter radicalization and antisemitic views.

  Outcome. The supplied material does not report quantified outcomes or a defined end date.

  Source

• 2002

  Legal action over publication of political cartoonOther

  Background

  AKdH considered a cartoon using Warsaw Ghetto imagery and a Palestinian political statement to be antisemitic.

  Action taken

  The association sued the Swiss Independent Media Center, also known as Indymedia Switzerland, after it published the cartoon.

  Aftermath

  Swiss criminal proceedings were suspended later in 2002.

  Source

1. 1Aktion Kinder des Holocausten.wikipedia.org