b'LESSONS FROM AUSCHWITZVisiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps in Poland was a huge eye-opener into the experiences of Jewish prisoners and really helped us to individualise their experiences. The message of individuality was pushed greatly throughout the project; every person had a story, a family, and a home.We listened to the account of one particular Holocaust survivor, Eva Clark. Although Eva was born shortly before theThere was a great deal to see in thepeople were forced to live. One thing that end of the Second World War in Treblinka,camps. Auschwitz I houses pictures andstill haunts me is the insanitary conditions. another camp, her story was full ofartefacts from the Holocaust. Clothes,The toilets were basically a concrete emotion as she recounted the hardshipssuitcases and shoes belonging to Jewishcuboid with holes in the top. Prisoners faced by her mother and father; her fatherpeople are piled high behind glass walls.were given two minutes every morning did not live to see her. Eva and her motherThe most upsetting part of the trip wasand night to use them. The bedrooms returned to Czechoslovakia to find theirthe hair room which contained the hairwere also disgusting, with long bunk entire family except one aunt was gone.that was shaven from womens headsbeds that would hold nine people in each. This made me feel a great deal of sorrowbefore they entered the gas chambers.Many died from the cold since there for Evas family, and I have immenseThis exhibit almost brought me to tearswerent enough blankets and many would respect for her since she remainedas it made the suffering a bit too real.release urine or stools on those below composed throughout her story, whichThe model of the gas chambers with littlethem, worsening the conditions that were was both touching and disturbing. people crammed inside was also disturbingalready rife for disease.as were the photographs of HolocaustOne positive emotion I hold from the victims lining the walls. Looking at theirexperience is gratitude. I did not enjoy faces was incredibly intense, not leastmyself on that trip, and Im not sure because we saw pictures with womensanyone could. However, I got to represent shaven heads right after the hair room. Thethe school, go to a unique and important book of names was, in my opinion, theplace, and learn things that most dont. I most interesting part of Auschwitz I. Thewas also given the chance to read a poem book was about three metres long withaloud in front of everyone. Usually Id be massive pages, each displaying hundredsscared of someone laughing or judging of names of Holocaust victims. We wereme, but everyone quietly listened and each asked to look within the bookappreciated the words of the poem. This and choose one name. I chose Samuelproved to me that the people on this trip Wasserman. That exercise once againwere chosen for a reason, and Im glad to delivered the key message of individuality.have been amongst them. The final part Walking through the gas chambers inof the trip where everyone lit a candle and complete silence was another emotionalplaced it at a memorial further emphasised experience, as I could imagine thethe message behind this trip: stand hundreds of people that once stood wheretogether since hatred divides.I did for those brief two minutes, except I wasnt screaming for my life. By Sami Zahid 12DGR & Auschwitz IIBirkenau showed theZain Choudhrey 12IBEdreadful conditions in which Jewish 16'