Memorials and Xenophobia

History is often used to remind the future generations of remarkable events that occurred in the past. This could be in the form of lessons in textbooks, trips to historical sites, memorials, etc. In Germany, young generations are reminded of the Nazi past in various forms. There is no debate on the importance of such events as crucial reminders of horrible atrocities in the past. However, there is a growing concern that over-emphasizing such events could backfire and defeat the very purpose they are expected to serve. But, there is no evidence so far on this possibility of crowding out. We investigate whether over-emphasizing the salience of historical events through memorials and texts can lead to more xenophobic behaviors that they were designed to curb? Our study takes place in Germany, where the use of memorials in the form of stolperstein dedicated to the victims of the WW II is widespread. These memorials are placed on municipal properties outside the house where the victims of WW II once lived. They include information on the name, gender, and age of the victim, as well as their survival status during the war period, and in case of death, the name and location of the concentration camp. We conduct an online study with German residents and randomly vary the extent of exposure to memorials and texts and pictures. We assess xenophobia through donations and survey-based questions.