We invite students of Georgian, Azerbaijani, Moldovan, Polish, German and Ukrainian schools to create an innovative and creative graphic novel/story. The winning entries will be featured on Centropa’s Trans.History webpage.
We welcome your entry on the following topics:
- „Famous Jewish person of my country“
- „(Hidden) Jewish heritage of my region“
- Biographies of Jewish persons from the Centropa database
What do we expect from your submission?
- Your submission should include your own original illustrations and text.
- The text should be written in English. However, you are welcome to include your native language, followed by an English translation.
- Your submission should be between 6 and 15 pages (if applicable, including translation)
- It should include a cover page listing the project’s title, the author(s) of the graphic novel, your school (and your teacher). Moreover, your submission should also have an introductory text that tells us what kind of story you are going to tell.
Here are some examples of successful projects from previous Centropa youth competitions, based on biographies of Jewish women interviewed by Centropa:
The Story of Anna Mass: My father‘s apprentice (based on the story of Anna Mass)
„How can one survive“ (based on the life story of Vera Wechsler)
„What being real Jewish is about“ (based on the life story of Deborah Averbukh)
„Live to live“ (based on the life story of Tilda Galpert)
How to submit your graphic novel:
- Please upload your graphic novel through the submission form on Centropa’s Trans.History webpage here.
- Remember to add the names of all authors involved in creating the posts
- Choose a suitable title for your project
Tips:
- Consider submitting your text to an English teacher for a grammar/ language check before submitting it. You can also submit your text to a history teacher for fact-checking
- Be sensitive with regards to the topics you are creating content about. Make sure you use courteous and correct language which is not offensive, and show the appropriate respect towards topic and content of your project. If you are unsure about your entry submissions, don’t be afraid to ask an adult, a teacher or us at Centropa.
If you need help or have any questions, reach out to us at Centropa (germanyoffice@centropa.org) or contact our local coordinators Teona Dalakashvili (teonadalak@gmail.com) in Georgia, Gulnara Ismayilova (gismailova2015@gmail.com) in Azerbaijan or Ion Ungureanu (ion@ecovisio.org) in Moldova.
Suggestions on where to get the material for your graphic novel:
- Jewish biographies and photos can be found in the Centropa database. You can search for names, photos, or by country.
- For more on Jewish history, customs and holidays, you can take a look at the JewishVirtualLibrary.org or MyJewishLearning.com
- National and city libraries, archives, and Jewish museums have photos of Jewish history and places. A Google search of your “town name” + “Jewish” will probably give you a great start.
- We also encourage you to explore your local Jewish history and heritage, and take your own photos and videos!
- If you need help or have any questions, reach out to us at Centropa (germanyoffice@centropa.org) or contact our local coordinators
- Teona Dalakashvili (teonadalak@gmail.com) in Georgia, Gulnara Ismayilova (gismailova2015@gmail.com) in Azerbaija or Ion Ungureanu (ion@ecovisio.org) in Moldova
- Ewa Arendarczyk (arendarczyk@centropa.org)
- Ninja Stehr (stehr@centropa.org) for Germany and Ukraine
Things to remember:
- Do not copy someone else’s work.
- Do not use sources or state facts which are dubious and unreliable. If you are not sure about the source’s credibility, send us an email
- Please make sure you are not stealing photos that are copyright protected. This can lead to lawsuits. If you are not sure if you can use the pictures, send us an email
- Do not show graphic pictures of violence or photos of murdered people
- Remember to treat people’s stories with respect!