Abstract:

Recent data from several European countries indicate a significant increase in antisemitic and anti-Israeli attitudes, particularly in the aftermath of Israel’s response to the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023 and the ensuing military conflict. Empirical measurements of antisemitism in Greece suggest that the country exhibits relatively high levels of antisemitic views and attitudes within the general population, despite the drastic reduction of the Greek Jewish community following the Holocaust. The present study examines the presence of secondary antisemitism among pre-service elementary school teachers, a key group of educators entrusted with fostering a culture of Holocaust remembrance among younger generations and with countering antisemitism through formal education. Drawing on empirical data as its primary source of information, the study seeks to assess the extent to which secondary antisemitic attitudes are accepted among pre-service elementary school teachers and to formulate evidence-based recommendations for reforms in the structure and content of pre-service teacher education programs in Greece.

The study is based on a survey of 272 prospective elementary school teachers enrolled in three university Teacher Education Departments in Greece (Crete, Thessaly, and Epirus), representing more than 90 cities and towns across the country. Data were collected through the use of an anonymous questionnaire, which served as the primary research instrument and was administered between April and May 2024.

The questionnaire included a set of Likert scale items designed to assess participants’ levels of acceptance of widely circulated views and beliefs concerning aspects of the destruction of European Jewry, whether arising from insufficient knowledge of the relevant historical facts and processes or from broader antisemitic orientations. Prior to its administration, the questionnaire was validated through a pilot study and further reviewed by subject-matter experts to ensure content validity, clarity, and methodological robustness.

The findings of the present study suggest that levels of secondary antisemitism among prospective elementary school teachers—manifested as the endorsement of views that negate, relativize, or trivialize aspects of the Holocaust—are lower than those documented for the general adult population in Greece in recent national and international research. Nevertheless, the results also indicate that a substantial subgroup of pre-service teachers does not consistently distance itself from such beliefs. This ambivalent pattern points to gaps in historical knowledge and critical engagement with Holocaust memory, raising concerns given the central role of elementary school teachers in shaping early historical understanding and civic values.
On the basis of these findings, the study underscores the need for targeted reforms in the structure and content of initial teacher education programs in Greece, particularly with regard to systematic Holocaust education and the critical examination of contemporary manifestations of antisemitism.

Keywords:

Antisemitism, teacher training, pre-service teacher training, Holocaust.