On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Year 10 pupils are conducting research for their projects on the Holocaust as part of their iGCSE History Course Depth Study on Germany 1918-45.
Alena (Year 10) has reflected on the project and the importance of studying the Holocaust:
On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, it is appropriate that we are learning about the holocaust as part of our IGCSE History course.
When discussing why it is important to learn about the Holocaust, one must first understand what the events of the Holocaust were. The Holocaust was the persecution and murder of 6 million Jews and other social groups, carried out by the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler. This was an evolving process in Europe between 1933 and 1945.
It is important to learn about the Holocaust as it demonstrates how societies and institutions are supposed to protect all human rights and not let certain groups of society be neglected. The Holocaust took place due to the prejudice and scapegoating of Jews, homosexuals and gypsies. It should be taught in order to prevent antisemitism, racism and dehumanisation, and to maintain an inclusive and diverse community. The Holocaust teaches us the danger of power abuse and has helped to shape our views on today’s politics in the form of democracy, dictatorship, propaganda and genocide. We should actively reflect on the events of 85 years ago and realise that the ideas, such as extremist ideologies, propaganda and group-targeted hate and violence are still happening in our world today.
As a German citizen, I have learned about the Holocaust not only through rigorous school education programmes, but also through other awareness initiatives like “Stolpersteine”, which translates to “stumbling stones”. These are small brass plaques embedded in the sidewalks of former Jewish neighbourhoods in Germany. These plaques are engraved with the names of Jewish victims of the Holocaust and concentration camps. They ensure that these victims and the atrocities of the Holocaust are actively remembered by the German community.
At Charterhouse, one of the core values is kindness and we are reminded that inclusivity and diversity is the best way to shape a strong community.