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TRIPSANDvISITS10LessonsfromAuschwitzProjectPolandvisit5-3-14TheLessonsromAuschwitzprojectbeganwithaseminarwherewemetourgroupsandeducatorsromtheHolocaustEducationalTrust.WeheardthemoingsuriortestimonyoSusanPollockaHungarianJewwhosuriedthehorrorsobothAuschwitz-BirkenauandBergen-Belsen.HerincrediblesuriortestimonytaughtusararelyseenindiidualaspectotheHolocaust.WegainedabrieinsightintothehistoryotheHolocaustandhadalessononpre-warJewishlieinEuropebeoreourtriptoPolandtoisitthecampsthemseles.AteraeryearlystartwetraelledtoKrakowwithourgroupoellowstudentsromacrosstheWestMidlandsbeorebeingurtherseparatedintogroupso18-20peoplewithaspecialisteducatorpergroup.WearriedinthePolishtownoOwicimwhereweisitedapre-warJewishcemetery.ThiswaserythoughtprookingasnoneotheheadstonesinthecemeterywereplacedbythecorrectpersonintheperiodoNazioccupationtheheadstoneshadbeenremoedandusedorkerbstonesaroundthetown.ManygraesarestillletunmarkedasthemajorityoheadstoneswereoundinragmentsaterthewarbyJewswhobraelyreturnedtotheirhometowntheseragmentsomarbleandstonewerebuiltintoamemorialtothedeadothetown.FollowingthiswetouredthesitesobothAuschwitzIalabourcampandthenontoAuschwitzIIorAuschwitz-BirkenauwhichsawthedeathohundredsothousandsoJewsRomashomosexualmenandwomenandmanyotherkindsopeopletheNaziregimesawasunttolie.TheastdierencebetweenAuschwitzIwithitshardcoldbrickwallsthatoncecontainedtheworkbenchesoDr.MengeleandRudolHessandthebleakcoldandastopenyetsomewhatclaustrophobicspacesoBirkenauisremarkablystark.TherailwaytracksthebarbedencestheguardtowersandthebrickchimneysowoodenhutsnowlonggoneisallthatstillstandsoBirkenauthegaschambersthatsawthedeathohundredsothousandsoindiidualpeopleweredemolishedbytheSSattheendothewar.WesawthecattlewagonsthatSusanreerredtogiingasoberingandincreasinglyrareindiidualandpersonalinsightintotheeentsthathappenedonthaterygroundonly70yearsago.ToconcludethedayaprayerwassaidinHebrewbyRabbiMarcustohonourthedeadandcandleswerelitandplacedattheendothetraintracksthatormanypeoplewastheendotheirlieasreemenandwomen.Onthe13thMarchMariyamandIattendedourollow-upseminarinwhichwediscussedwithellowstudentsourideasandthoughtsonthedayoncewehadhadtimeorittosinkinandalsodiscussedwaystopassonthelessonswehadlearned.Wedecidedthatanassemblytothe6thFormwasthemostdirectwayandwiththehelpoMrMohammedandMrConwaywespoketothewhole6thormaboutthereallessonsoAuschwitz.Wealsotaughtanater-schoolclasso13gitedYear10historiansandlookedathowthelessonsarestillwellandtrulybeinglearned.FollowingthisthoughtprookingassemblyinwhichMr.MohammedclearlyoutlinedthelinkstothecentenaryotheGreatWarwenallyhadtimetolookbackatourownexperienceandrefectonhowtheexperiencehadaectedus.ThedaytriptoPolandandtheprojectasawholehaswidenedmyknowledgeothispartohistorybutmoreimportantlywidenedmyiewotheworldandhumanityasawhole.WewouldliketothankallinoledwiththeprojectespeciallyMr.MohammedwhosetirelessworkwiththeLFAteamensuredtheprojectransmoothlytheassemblywasaspowerulasitwasandorselectingustoparticipateinthistrulylie-changingprojectexperience.ConnorMcGrathY12andMariyamMustafaY13WhenwewereinthecoachIwasimaginingwhatIthoughtitwouldbelikemassieeldswithwoodencabinsmuddybarbedwireeerywherebutwhenwearriedatAuschwitzitwasashockbecauseIrememberlookingoutsideandthinkingWowthatspretty.Itlookedindustrialjustoldtraditionalworkplacebuildings.ItdidnteencrossmymindthatitwasAuschwitzuntilConnorpointedoutthatitwas.Iwasshockedattheactthatitwassodeceptielookingatityouwouldneerhaeimaginedwhatwasgoingoninside.ThesignaboeAuschwitzitselsaidWorkMakesYouFree.WhenlearningabouttheHolocaustIwouldalwaysthinkSurelytheyknewbutactuallyisitingitjustshowsthatthosewhohadtheunortunateateoendingupinAuschwitzwereullyconincedtheyweresentheretoworkandstartanewlie.WewentinsideAuschwitzanditwasjustsurrealalltheguresandgraphswereoerwhelming.BehindglassdisplaycasestherewereticketsromGreecetoAuschwitz.OurtourguidetoldusthestorybehindoneotheticketsaboutthisoneRomaamilywhosoldalltheirpossessionstobuyaticketinordertogettoAuschwitz.PeoplewereconincedthatitwasaRelocationProgrammeastarttoabetterlieandtheNazisplanneditsopreciselybyeensellingticketstoaddtothedeceit.Holocaustassembly