Holocaust Memorial Day

Wednesday 27th January 1945 marked the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Today, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember the six million Jews that were murdered.

Whilst not physically together to commemorate the victims of genocide and stand against prejudice around the world, the community reflected in unison at 8.00pm by ‘Lighting the Darkness’ with a candle, in honour of this year’s theme.

Helen Tatlock, Head of History, lit candles across the Park on behalf of the School. Whilst Lana in Year 8 honoured the day by making and lighting her own special candle “The reason I was inspired to try candle making was from the Collect we did all about the Holocaust; we all lit our own candles during the Collect and sat in reflection. It was really beautiful and made Collect feel very calm, like we had all come together to remember.” Commented Lana.

She continued “I usually love to try new things and it was a coincidence that I had been bought a candle making set for Christmas. I hadn’t had the chance to use it yet so I thought it would be a lovely idea to try and make my own candle representing the Holocaust. This was one of my first times making a candle and it was inspiring being able to help represent the Holocaust in this way. My mum helped me with melting the wax, and I put scent in it and wrote a label with a message. I used the words from the theme of our Collect. I think I will keep making candles, they are a lovely way of delivering a message.”

In February of last year, History and Politics students were honoured to hear Kurt Marx tell his story as a Kindertransport survivor who escaped the Holocaust.

Claiming “The headmaster of my school is why I am here,” Marx spoke fondly of the man that persuaded his school to be transferred from Germany to London, despite upheaval from the authorities and parents, who did not want their children to be sent away.

A recurring and striking theme in Marx’s talk was not the callous actions of people throughout the war, but the many kind acts of those he encountered. Fearing the world has not learnt from the atrocities that happened during the war, Kurt’s overriding message to students was to be kind to one another.