Eden Girls’ School pupils hear from Holocaust survivors
Eden Girls’ School pupils heard first-hand about the atrocities of the Second World War when Holocaust survivors Bob and Ann Kirk paid us a visit.
The Kirks shared their stories of fleeing Nazi Germany as young children. As it became increasingly unsafe for her family to live in Germany, Ann, born Hannah Kuhn, was given a place on the Kindertransport, a scheme that allowed unaccompanied children to enter the UK to live with foster families. In 1939, at the age of 10, Ann arrived in London to start a new life. She never saw her parents again, later learning that they had been killed in the Holocaust.
Bob, born Rudolf Kirchheimer, had a similar story, arriving in London via the Kindertransport in 1939, aged 13. Bob moved around for a few years, being evacuated to the countryside when the second world war broke out. Bob later began a military career with the Royal Artillery, training as a gunner and using his German language skills as an interpreter dealing with German prisoners of war. He later discovered that his parents had died at a concentration camp in Latvia.
Mr and Mrs Kirk, now aged 92 and 89 respectively, share their testimonies to help young people better understand the nature of the Holocaust and to explore its lessons in more depth. The visit was arranged through the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) as part of their Outreach Programme, which is available to schools across the UK all year round.
Our pupils also had the opportunity to ask Mr and Mrs Kirk questions about their experiences.
Year 10 pupil Zahra Mahamud commented, “The Kirks were so inspirational. They could have let their past affect them negatively for the rest of their lives, but they chose not to.”
Zainab Qureishi, also from Year 10, added, “I feel extremely fortunate that Bob and Ann passed on such valuable information and insight. It’s something I will never forget.”
During our Holocaust Memorial Day themed activities, our school also welcomed Rabbi Zvi Solomons, and Slough Baptist Church leader Wayne Dixon. Pupils from all year groups took part in a variety of workshops exploring themes relating to the Holocaust. Pupils used drama, poetry and art to express what they have learnt about this period in world history.
Karim Murcia, our Principal, said, “Our school is privileged to have heard first-hand from two Holocaust survivors whose moving accounts prompted discussion topics and related learning opportunities. Our pupils listened with great maturity to Mr and Mrs Kirk’s accounts and used the opportunity to ask questions to help deepen their understanding of this incredibly bleak period in history.”
Year 9 pupils also took another opportunity to hear from a Holocaust survivor when they attended an event organised by Slough Borough Council. On Friday 26 January they visited The Curve to listen to 87 year old Holocaust survivor Ernest Simon, alongside groups from other local schools.
Holocaust Memorial Day, held annually on 27 January, remembers the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, and the millions of people killed in Nazi Persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. The date of 27 January marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
Added By: Eden Girls' School, Slough | Date Added: 29th Jan 2018 | Posted In: Latest News