b'LESSONS FROMAUSCHWITZ PROJECTVisit to PolandTuesday 27th FebruaryAt the start of the day, I didnt know whatAfter this we went to the Auschwitzabout what millions of individual human to expect from the trip to Auschwitzconcentration camp which was a profoundlives really looked like and so the book of because there is nothing that I couldexperience. We were given a tour aroundnames really shocked me.relate it to. Nothing I knew could preparedifferent buildings in the camp. We wereThe final stop of the day was the camp of me for the day which, in a way, made itshown rooms with personal belongings,Birkenau which some refer to as Auschwitz scary. I think this also points to the facthuman hair and individual stories which all2. This is where the famous picture of that the events of the Holocaust seem sobelonged to victims of the camp. One ofthe train tracks into the gates of death inhumane and unnatural that even visitingthe final and most memorable stops was inwas taken. Birkenau really highlighted the a site where it took place just over half athe room with the book of names whichNazi mistreatment of their mostly Jewish century after feels unlike anything. I expected to be a big book that could beprisoners with them being given animal-like The day started with a short visit to thepicked up and looked at but instead it wasconditions to sleep in. The day finished with Polish town of Owicim which wasa double-sided wall of pages the samea service from a Rabbi who was with us what many know as Auschwitz due to itsheight as me. I think this was the room Iwhich was very moving and I think it was a German translation. It was an interestingremembered the most because it really putsolemn yet hopeful way to end the day.first stop which gave us an insight onthe whole thing into perspective. I knew pre-war life for Jewish people. that millions of people died during theBen Whiteoak, Year 12Holocaust, but I had never stopped to think Even though millions of people lost theirfamilies they returned home to, probably lives to the genocide, sometimes it can beplayed football on weekends and enjoyed easier to leave these events in the past,drinks with friends. Yet, these are the same move on with life and heal the traumapeople who unleashed 56 tons of Zyklon-B of the incidents with time. However,gas on innocent men, women and children. the lessons of the Holocaust must bePerhaps this highlights how unchecked taught today, as hate and prejudice (thehatred can grow, spread and become foundations of this ethnic cleansing) are stillall-consuming. Maybe this shows that ever-present. The Holocaust highlighted thesocietys differences are to be embraced, damning ramifications of permitting hatrednot used to break it apart. But certainly, the of other cultures, religions and livelihoodsHolocaust demonstrates that if we dont to grow, leading to the dehumanisationlive in harmony, if we let intolerance prevail, of entire groups of people. For these 17many will suffer.million people, their hopes, dreams andTherefore, in current times of an increase ambitions were to be unceremoniously lostin different forms of discrimination together in their ashes and their entire livelihoodswith conflict around the world, it is crucial, were to be forgotten behind a numericalnow more than ever, to set aside our digit, a death toll. differences and come together to live Something that stuck with me, from thehappily alongside one another and ensure visit to Auschwitz, were the words of Rabbithat such events of the past neverMarcus. Often people question where Godhappen again. was during such harrowing events, butShrey Kapoor, Year 12he points towards humans. Where was MAN? he exclaimed. That question is an uncomfortable one. At the end of the day, these murderers were people. They had 41'