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New York, NY— FASPE,
an innovative international program that explores the
history of the Holocaust as a way to teach contemporary
ethics in professional fields, gave the first annual FASPE
Ethical Leadership Awards at
an dinner on October
6 at
the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the
Holocaust in New York. Nearly
$500,000 was raised, and
more than 190 guests attended the event, including a number
of faculty and alumni who shared their experiences about the
long-term impact of FASPE programming.
The event reflected FASPE’s mission to bridge historical
issues and contemporary concerns. In particular, the
evening honored the historical figure, Blessed
Bernhard Lichtenberg, who demonstrated a high regard for
ethics when challenged by events in his time; and, Audi,
whose commitment to corporate social responsibility and
proven ethical behavior has benefitted the community at
large.
Headlining the Award dinner was Anthony
Kronman, former Dean of Yale Law School, and Randy
Cohen, the original Ethicist of the New
York Times Magazine, who respond to ethical questions
posed by several FASPE alumni in the audience. Father
Joseph M. McShane, S.J., President
of Fordham University, accepted the award in honor of
Blessed Bernard Lichtenberg. Floris
Dreesman, Head of Audi Brand Strategy, accepted the
award for Audi.
For the past five years, the Fellowships
at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE), which
operates under the auspices of the Museum of Jewish
Heritage, has offered a unique historical lens to engage
business, journalism, law, medical, and seminary students in
an intensive course of study that is focused on contemporary
ethics in their professions. More than 250 FASPE Fellows
have been granted an all-expenses-paid trip to New York,
Germany, and Poland to learn about the role of their chosen
profession in Nazi Germany, and use that historic background
as a launching point to explore the ethical issues facing
those in their field today.
“By educating students about the causes of the Holocaust and
the power of their chosen professions, FASPE seeks to
instill a sense of professional responsibility for the
ethical and moral choices that the Fellows will make in
their careers and in their professional relationships,” said
C. David Goldman, founder of FASPE.
David Marwell, Executive Director of the Museum of Jewish
Heritage explained, “This inaugural dinner and the FASPE
Ethical Leadership Award mark a significant milestone in our
work. FASPE has now been in operation for five years and
counts more than 250 young professionals among its alumni.
With this dinner, FASPE seeks to broaden its footprint and
reach a larger circle of professionals with a message about
the importance of ethical behavior among the leaders of
civil society.”
Bernhard Lichtenberg (Honoree)
was born on December 3, 1875. A German Roman Catholic priest
and theologian who died while in Nazi custody, Lichtenberg
has been beatified by the Catholic Church and awarded the
title of Righteous Among the Nations for his unyielding
opposition to the persecution of Jews and the mentally ill
in Nazi Germany. Well aware that his actions could lead to
his imprisonment and death, he continued preaching and
publishing in support of Jews and other victims of Nazi
oppression. Lichtenberg was arrested in 1941 and sentenced
to two years in prison for his “abuse of the pulpit” and
“insidious activity.” He was later offered freedom in
exchange for his silence, but refused to remain quiet and
was sent to the concentration camp at Dachau. On November 5,
1943, while awaiting deportation, the 67-year-old
Lichtenberg fell ill and died.
Audi (Honoree)
delivered a record number of cars last year and is one of
the best-known automobile manufacturers in the world.
Audi’s growth has come alongside its commitment to corporate
responsibility, believing that responsible action and the
power of innovation are equally crucial to its success.
Audi demonstrated this in 2014 when it published a
comprehensive historical inquiry into the actions of its
forerunner, Auto Union, under National Socialism. Audi has
also anchored in its strategies the principle of
sustainability for all its products and processes, placing
CO2-neutral mobility as its long-term goal. With the
combination of its newly formalized Corporate Responsibility
Department, the publication of its historical report, and
its exemplary environmental concerns, Audi has demonstrated
that it takes seriously its responsibility for both the past
and the future.
About FASPE
The Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional
Ethics, run under the auspices of the Museum of Jewish
Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, is an
innovative set of programs for professional school students
– preparing for careers in business, law, medicine,
journalism, and the clergy – that examine contemporary
ethical issues, using the Holocaust, and the role the
specific professions played in Nazi Germany, as a launching
point and backdrop.
The FASPE experience offers a more intensive and meaningful
exploration into ethics than is available in any
classroom-based course in graduate school. FASPE immerses
students in history by taking them to the sites where
Nazi-era executives, doctors, lawyers, journalists, and
clergy worked, and where the consequences of their actions
unfolded. It invokes the power of place as a pedagogical
tool to emphasize the importance of ethical behavior among
professionals today.
Fellows participate in seminars with leading scholars and
professionals. They also visit sites such as: the House of
the Wannsee Conference, where lawmakers laid plans for the
“Final Solution;” the Deportation Memorial “Track 17,” one
of the train platforms where Berlin’s Jews were forced to
board trains heading to camps; and Auschwitz-Birkenau where
over one million were murdered and atrocious medical
experiments took place. To view a video, and specific topics
that FASPE fellows will study in the individual programs,
visit
www.FASPE.info
FASPE was piloted in 2009 and is
a non-denominational program engaging participants of all
faiths. Twelve to fifteen Fellows from each discipline are
chosen annually, through an international application
process. FASPE works
in cooperation with the Center for Holocaust Studies at
Jagiellonian University, Krakow; the Haus der
Wannsee-Konferenz, Berlin; and the Auschwitz-Birkenau State
Museum, Oświęcim, Poland. The initial curricula were
designed in partnership with leading scholars from Yale
Medical School, Yale Law School, Columbia School of
Journalism and Georgetown University.
Lead support for FASPE is provided by C.
David Goldman, Frederick and Margaret Marino, and the Eder
Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by the
Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and
other generous donors.
About the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial
to the Holocaust
The Museum’s
exhibitions educate people of all ages and backgrounds about
the rich tapestry of Jewish life over the past
century—before, during, and after the Holocaust. Current
special exhibitions include A
Town Known as Auschwitz, and Against
the Odds: American Jews & the Rescue of Europe's Refugees,
1933-1941.
It is also home to the award-winning
Keeping
History Center,
an interactive visitor experience, and Andy Goldsworthy’s
memorial Garden
of Stones. The Museum offers visitors a vibrant public
program schedule in its Edmond J. Safra Hall and receives
general operating support from the New York City Department
of Cultural Affairs.
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