Students are remembering the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust as part of events to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau.
A special assembly was held for all students examining this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day theme, ‘Stand Together’. The assembly, delivered by Head of History, Miss K Harrison, challenged the notion of ‘Us versus them’, exploring how genocidal regimes throughout history have deliberately fractured society by marginalising certain groups. Students have been encouraged to consider how their role as individuals can challenge oppression by standing together with their friends, peers and neighbours.
Miss J Tappenden, Head of Humanities Learning School, has also developed resources to be used during form time to examine the Holocaust in greater depth and contextualise its significance in the 21st century by looking at further examples of genocide and asking students to consider to what extent the lessons from the Holocaust have been learned.
There are plans to mark the occasion further throughout the Summer term, helping students to understand the huge significance of the liberation of Auschwitz, whilst highlighting how the horrors of the Holocaust continued for many Jews after this date.
She said: “The liberation of Auschwitz on the 27th January 1945 was a significant occasion. It marked the beginning of the end of the Nazi regime, which would eventually fall on 8th May 1945.
“Of the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, over 1 million were lost to Auschwitz-Birkenau. It is the largest cemetery in the world and yet it is marked by no gravestone.
“Here at Highfields, we want our students to understand the significance of all of the events which will be commemorated with 75-year anniversaries this year. Whilst the liberation of Auschwitz is hugely significant, we want our students to understand how, for many Jews, the horrors of the Holocaust continued.
“Belsen, for example, was not liberated until 15th April 1945. It is crucial that students understand the bigger picture; how VE Day marked not just the end of nearly 6 years of war, but also the true liberation it afforded people who had been persecuted under Hitler’s regime. We want them to understand that liberating Auschwitz was not the end of it, that further camps continued to operate and that many thousands more who fled persecution or were affected by the horrors of war faced months and years as refugees having left homes, jobs and possessions behind them. We want our students to experience the feelings of joy, relief and celebration felt across Europe during VE Day 75 years ago, but to be able to set these into context of the suffering, devastation and loss of the war.
“It is of great importance to us that students are able to contextualise these historical events and understand their relevance today, especially in light of Wolverhampton’s status as a City of Refuge, offering support to refugees affected by conflict today.”
At Highfields, we are extremely proud of our History curriculum, which aims to embrace diversity, challenge discrimination and promote tolerance at all levels. An important part of this is creating opportunities for students to develop their understanding of these issues outside the classroom as well as within it.
The History Department is planning a large scale school-wide commemoration event to rival that of the school’s remembrance events marking the centenary of the end of the First World War in 2018.
Details of the programme will be revealed in due course, but the events, planned for May of this year to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day, will offer a variety of extra-curricular activities to extend students’ understanding of the Holocaust, liberation, the end of war and its legacy, and the role of Wolverhampton in supporting refugee and asylum seeking families into a welcoming and inclusive community.
Miss Tappenden is currently also liaising with former Highfields student, Joe Twilley, Head of Communications for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust UK, to build an experience which is truly unique and engaging for students at Highfields.
