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Remembering Tomorrow

It is important that there is a general awareness of the results of the inquiry into compulsory social measures. This includes remembering the injustice and suffering caused and learning lessons from this for today and for the future.

The consequences of coercive measures and placements continue to have an impact on those affected and their descendants to this day. Their suffering was acknowledged, and a process of coming to terms with their experiences was set in motion by those affected, state agencies and researchers. This process has continually yielded new insights.

The knowledge gained from this process should be shared with the public. This includes remembering the injustice and suffering endured by those affected, and drawing lessons from the insights for today and the future.

The Federal Act on Compulsory Social Measures and Placements prior to 1981 (CSMPA) and its implementing ordinance entrust the Federal Office of Justice with the important task of ensuring that the findings of the scientific work on this chapter of history are disseminated and used. Specifically, the FOJ is to make the knowledge and memory of compulsory social measures and placements accessible to the general public and impart this knowledge to future generations.

As part of the "Remembering Tomorrow" programme, the FOJ will fund and promote various projects over the next few years (2024-28) and work with partners to carry out its own projects as part of an awareness-raising programme.

A dedicated online platform will provide important information on the topic; a touring exhibition aimed at a broad public will visit selected cities in all regions of the country and an educational app will enable schoolchildren to learn more about the stories of those affected. The FOJ will also support projects by third parties dedicated to providing information on this topic.

Regular updates on the program will be sent out by email. Register at: erinnernfuermorgen@bj.admin.ch

News

23 January 2025
A reception to launch the new learning app ‘Fürsorge und Zwang’ (Welfare and Coercion) at the Swiss National Museum Zurich.
The Federal Office of Justice has launched a new educational app on the history of compulsory social measures and placements. This app enables young people to discover this little-known chapter of Swiss social history. The ‘Fürsorge und Zwang’ app is free, trilingual, and has been developed by the Lucerne University of Teacher Education in collaboration with the Vaud and Ticino Universities of Teacher Education and the Our Faces, Our Stories Association.
Lern-App "Fürsorge und Zwang"
Plateforme pédagogique "Assistance et coercition"
Piattaforma didattica "Assistenza e coercizione"
(This document is not available in English)
Further information: Materials for schools

January 2025
The portrait exhibition ‘Heim- und Verdingkinder’ (Children in care and contract children) by the netzwerk-verdingt Association and the Keystone/SDA photographer Peter Klaunzer can now be borrowed from the FOJ. The ‘Heim- und Verdingkinder’ exhibition flyer with further information is available here: Ausstellungsflyer "Heim- und Verdingkinder" (PDF, 315 kB, 07.04.2025) (this document is not available in English)

22 November 2024
Interdisciplinary conference organised by the Federal Office of Justice entitled ‘Von der Geschichte in die Zukunft: Die Bedeutung von Akten für ausserfamiliär untergebrachte Kinder’ (From the past to the future: the importance of records to children in care). The conference is aimed at cantonal supervisory authorities for children’s homes and aims to consider the impact that historical findings should have on current and future practices in dealing with records. With contributions from those formerly in care, researchers, archivists and supervisory authorities. Einladung interdisziplinäre Tagung Bedeutung von Akten / Invitation Colloque interdisciplinaire sur les dossiers (this document is not available in English)

4 November 2024
First meeting of the advisory board for the Remember for Tomorrow Programme Mitglieder Beirat - Membres du Comité consultatif (this document is not available in English)

September 2024
The online teaching tool ‘ausgegrenzt und weggesperrt’ [Marginalised and locked away] from the IEC from 2019 has been updated by the Bern University of Teacher Education and is now also available in French and Italian.
IdeenSet Ausgegrenzt und Weggesperrt
Matériel pédagogique "exclu, écarté, enfermé"
Offerta didattica online "Emarginati e rinchiusisegregati"
(This document is not available in English)

26 March 2024
The winning bidder for the online platform call for tenders is announced. The contract is awarded to Sturm und Bräm and the University of Bern.

16 March 2024
The winning bidder for the touring exhibition call for tenders is announced. The contract is awarded to Expositionen and ZMIK.

24 October 2023
The FOJ holds talks with victims of compulsory social measures and placements, in order to discuss its plans for communicating the results of the academic inquiry into the measures.

4 August 2023
Using an invitation procedure, the FOJ has awarded a mandate to develop an educational app to a consortium consisting of PH Lucerne, HEP Vaud, SUPSI, Our Faces – Our Stories and Feinheit AG. The app should be available by the end of 2024.

16 December 2022
The results of the academic inquiry are to be communicated and made broadly accessible. The FOJ has drawn up nine measures to make information and inquiry results accessible to the public and to raise awareness. They will be implemented from 2023 to 2028.

Documents

Last modification 02.06.2025

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