Author: By ANDREW LAPIN/JTA, PHILISSA CRAMER/JTA

Tim Walz’s stance on Holocaust education was brought to light in his 2001 master’s thesis, where he criticized certain methods, including a controversial “game” conducted at the high school where he worked. The game involved students portraying Jews and Gestapo officers, creating a distressing scenario. While Walz intervened to stop the activity after a complaint, conflicting accounts arose regarding his involvement. Regardless, his thesis argued against such simulations, emphasizing the need for more appropriate and respectful teaching methods. Today, Holocaust educators condemn role plays like the “Gestapo Game,” citing their potential to trivialize and traumatize students. Organizations like Yad Vashem…