Cimitirele soldaţilor prizonieri de război ca obiect de studiu în şcoală

Abstract

It is necessary that one should know the historical past of their people, it is a proof of patriotism. "A people that do not know their history is similar to a child that does not know their parents." (N. Iorga). The present paper wishes to bring to class the issue of prisoners of war who, due to the difficult conditions of detention, did not survive. Some of them were buried in common graves, others in the civil cemeteries of the respective place, and others rest in military cemeteries. These cemeteries are part of the national and universal cultural heritage. Certain projects are developed that aim at passing several of these cemeteries in UNESCO world heritage. The students must be aware of the importance of the prisoners of war in order to have a comprehensive image regarding their historical past. Also, they should know the potential value of the monuments dedicated to them. We, as teachers, wish to cultivate and develop their feelings of patriotism, the sense of belonging to a people, of pride, and civic spirit. This optional subject is moreover beneficial due to the fact that we are in the year of the Centenary and the study also focuses on the cemeteries/ graves from World War I.