Schoolkids remember Holocaust barbarism

Schoolkids remember Holocaust barbarism

3 February 2016

FOR Ballynahinch schoolgirl Sarah Nugent the Holocaust has one, simple message — “Never, ever let this happen again.”

Sarah was one of the P7 pupils at Drumlins Integrated Primary School who was profoundly moved  during their three-week long project which celebrated Holocaust Memorial Day on Wednesday.

All 22 pupils, under the guidance of their teacher Mrs Esther Poots, and their class room assistant Mrs Joanna Wormell, have been enthusiastically learning about not only the events of the Holocaust, but its causes, effects and relevance to modern day. 

It was decided the children would focus on the survivors and their stories, as well as the lessons the Holocaust can teach; that people should learn from the past and stand up against discrimination.

As well as Sarah, other children were equally adamant that society must understand and learn from the horrors of the Holocaust, including young Rudi Hamilton, who said simply; “we shouldn’t follow the crowd”. 

As part of a major project on the Holocaust the children visited a museum, wrote poems designed posters and held a fundraising event for Save the Children to aid children of similar ages in refugee camps. They also wrote poetry which was presented to the other pupils at assembly. 

One of the most exciting aspects of the Holocaust project was a visit by Billy Kohner, whose mother, Edith, and father, Franzi, set up a refugee camp in Millisle for orphans who fled Nazi-occupied Europe and who arrived in Northern Ireland.

Edith and Franzi, who retired in later life to Newcastle, turned the Millisle camp into a haven for Jewish children largely thanks to the warm and comforting welcome given to them by the Kohner family.

Billy Kohner’s stories gave an insight into the role of Northern Ireland during, and after, the Second World War. “It makes it more real when its from home” said Mrs Wormell. 

This aspect of the project helped show the effects of the Holocaust on the lives of Northern Irish people, making it more applicable to their own lives and, “it was really nice to get that angle” said Mrs Poots.