Yad Vashem: new Holocaust education centre planned in Munich
Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, is planning to build an education centre in Munich in three years’ time - its first outside Israel. What are the reasons behind its decision?
Anja Leuschner,
09.06.2026 
What is the story here?
Yad Vashem is the largest Holocaust remembrance and education centre. Situated on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem, it commemorates the six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis. In late May, it was announced that Yad Vashem would be opening a Holocaust education centre in Munich, its first outside Israel, in around three years’ time. It will be built at Karolinenplatz in the centre of Munich, with a subsidiary branch set to open in Leipzig. Following the decision, Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan said: “As we move further from the era of living survivor testimony, historically grounded Holocaust education is more important than ever.”
What does Germany hope to gain from the new educational facility?
The centre will make a valuable contribution to remembrance work and to the fight against antisemitism. Education Minister Karin Prien said: “The aim is to reinforce remembrance work and the fight against antisemitism in Germany and Europe. Knowledge of the past is important to prevent such evil in the future. Yet especially young people in Germany know too little about the Shoah and the systematic murder of millions of Jews during the National Socialist era.” Furthermore, the education centre will serve as a new element of the partnership between Yad Vashem and Germany.
Has there also been any criticism?
In a guest article published in the news magazine “Der Spiegel”, Meron Mendel, director of the Anne Frank Educational Centre in Frankfurt, criticised the lack of independence of the Yad Vashem research and remembrance centre, which is directly answerable to the Israeli government, saying that he feared that the centre’s educational work could be influenced.
Why was Munich chosen for the new centre?
The possibility of setting up an educational centre in Germany has already been discussed since 2023. One of the reasons why Munich was chosen for the new centre is the city’s history. Commenting on this, Dani Dayan said: “The choice of Munich, the birthplace of the Nazi Party, carries deep symbolic significance and reflects the importance of confronting this history where it began.” The city’s infrastructure, security standards and existing education system were also taken into account in the decision-making process.
