Holocaust Memorial Day 2023

In memory of Holocaust Memorial Day, our boys from Years 6, 7 and 8 all attended a talk with some of our wonderful teachers this morning as well as taking part in a questions and answers session with Author, Tom Palmer. Tom has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust to produce free resources for use in the classroom or at home, to help schools commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. The boys joined a live webinar where they got the opportunity to ask any questions about the Holocaust and widen their knowledge of the subject.

The theme this year is ‘Ordinary people’ – “Ordinary people were involved in all aspects of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution of other groups, and in the genocides that took place in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. Ordinary people were perpetrators, bystanders, rescuers, witnesses – and ordinary people were victims.”

The boys were also fortunate enough to speak to Mala Tribich, a Holocaust Survivor. Mala spoke about her life during the war and the struggles she faced. Mala now works very closely with the National Holocaust Centre and Museum and continues to give her testimony whenever she is able. Her testimony has contributed greatly to Holocaust education and continues to provide meaningful, educational experiences for those who hear it. “By speaking out, it is my greatest hope that something positive will be handed to the future generation.”

After the Q&A, our Year 8 boys joined together to watch “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” – a film that brings a greater understanding of what life was like during the war.

Nikki Olhausen, Head of English said “We looked at all aspects of this theme in relation to the holocaust: survivors, perpetrators, rescuers and the role of bystanders. We heard about Sonnderkommandos and their role as well as other ‘ordinary people’ who have subsequently been tried for the part they played in the work of the concentration camps.

We also shared a poem by Michael Rosen, written about this great uncle and aunt who were deported from Paris to Auschwitz in November 1943.

Our aim was to ask boys to consider what they had heard and learned and take forward a positive message of commemoration”