Membership

ESHEM membership is both an opportunity and a commitment. Members are expected to:

• Uphold historical accuracy, ethical standards, and EU values
• Actively participate in network activities and exchanges (ESHEM will cover participation costs related to network-organised activities, where applicable)
• Engage in communication with the network and share practices, experiences, and insights with peers
• Contribute, according to capacity, to collective learning and dialogue
• If you are responsible for, or working with, an eligible site located in an EU Member State or one of the other eligible countries listed in the “First ESHEM Open Call 01-03/2026 – Reference Materials” document, and your work aligns with ESHEM’s mission, we would warmly encourage you to apply when the new call for members opens between late 2026 and early 2027.

For the purposes of the ESHEM network, a Holocaust site is defined as a geographically identifiable location, or group of interconnected locations, that holds direct historical, cultural, or memorial significance related to the persecution, deportation, and genocide of Jews during the Shoah. These are sites where Jews were persecuted or killed by Nazis, their collaborators, and accomplices, often also marked by the genocide of the Roma and Sinti, and crimes committed against other victim groups. This definition includes, but is not limited to: ghettos, concentration camps, killing centres and other killing sites, transit points, and places of resistance, hiding, and rescue — both commemorated and uncommemorated. It also covers contemporary institutions and initiatives (such as museums and memorials) that are physically located at these sites or serve as their custodians.

While the ESHEM network’s focus is on sites of persecution, deportation, and genocide of Jews during the Shoah, many of which were also the scene of other crimes, including the genocide of the Roma and Sinti and violence against other groups, the network may additionally award membership to sites exclusively related to the persecution and genocide of the Roma and Sinti.

Eligible sites include:

• Sites of persecution, segregation, imprisonment, and mass murder
• Sites of resistance, escape, rescue, and survival
• Sites of burial and rest of Holocaust victims
• Sites of life and loss affected by the Holocaust

Holocaust-related institutions are eligible only if they are physically located at, and directly connected to, such historical sites. You can consult the full list of eligibility criteria in the “First ESHEM Open Call (Jan–Mar 2026) – Reference Materials” document. Please note that these are provided for reference and may be subject to change in future calls.

Applications are reviewed in several stages:

1. Verification of eligibility against the eligibility criteria as outlined in the “First ESHEM Open Call 01-03/2026 – Reference Materials” document
2. Assessment by the ESHEM Steering Committee against the membership criteria as set out in the “First ESHEM Open Call 01-03/2026 – Reference Materials” document
3. Formal approval by the European Commission
4. Announcement of results 

Due to the phased nature of network-building, not all eligible applications can be accommodated in each round. 

At least 50 sites will be welcomed into the ESHEM network during the 2026–2027 period, across several application rounds. Each round brings together a limited number of members, allowing the network to grow in a balanced way and reflect diversity across countries, historical contexts, and site types.

If your site meets the eligibility criteria but cannot be included in the first round, it may be considered in a subsequent round. ESHEM builds its membership gradually to support meaningful exchange and balanced representation across geographies, histories, and institutional contexts.

Applications must be submitted by filling out the designated template and emailing it to contact-eshemgopa [dot] eu (contact-eshem[at]gopa[dot]eu).

In the template, applicants are asked to respond to a short set of questions and provide documentation as listed in the “First ESHEM Open Call 01-03/2026 – Reference Materials” document, including materials confirming eligibility and custodianship. Applications that do not meet these formal requirements will not be considered. Some applicants may be asked follow-up questions regarding their applications or receive a site visit.

Applicants will need to provide basic documentation and information demonstrating:

• The site’s historical relevance
• Legal status and custodianship
• Institutional responsibility for the site

Complete and detailed requirements are outlined in the “First ESHEM Open Call 01-03/2026 – Reference Materials” document. Please note that these are provided for reference and may be subject to change in future calls.

Participation in the network is free of charge; no membership fee applies. Please note, however, that membership also involves a commitment of time and staff resources, which remain the responsibility of the member site.