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| You are here: 2000 / Workshops, Panels and Seminars / Workshops on Education / Workshop 6 on Education, "Testimony in Education" / Presentation by Mrs. Trudy Gold | |||||||||
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Report from Workshop 6 on Education: "Testimony in Education" Presentation by Dr. Barbara Engelking-Boni Presentation by Mrs. Renée Firestone Presentation by Mrs. Trudy Gold Presentation by Dr. Kitty Hart-Moxon Presentation by Mr. Ben Helfgott Presentation by Mrs. Trudy Gold Gold, Trudy Presentation by Mrs. Trudy Gold I would like to begin by congratulating the Swedish Government on their remarkable initiative which has now led to so many countries deciding that this is the way forward in education. It would be an extraordinary development if eventually we strengthen the declaration and make a commitment to introducing Holocaust & Anti-racist studies world wide and to establish a monitoring body that can report back to the task force on these matters. England and Wales are an intriguing case study. For the past 6 years, Holocaust Studies have been mandatory in the history core curriculum syllabus for 13/14 year olds. Every pupil in state education now studies the Holocaust. Awareness was also heightened by the film "Schindlers List" which was seen by over 1/5 of the British population. The 50th Anniversary of the end of World War II led to wide TV and media coverage of these traumatic events. In a world where genocide is recurrent, educators have realised that many of the dilemmas of human behaviour are encapsulated in the Holocaust and that if this tragedy is taught sensitively it can have a positive effect on our future citizens. In England and Wales there are other areas on the syllabus where there are other opportunities to study the Holocaust. In advance level history (17-18 year olds), in some literature papers looking at pre-war Jewish culture through the works of writers such as Isaac Beshavis Singer and in Holocaust testimony in the writings of individuals like Primo Levi and Eli Weisel. The majority of younger children also read either the Diary of Anne Frank or I am David. There are further opportunities in religious studies, geography (the demography and typography of the Nazi era), psychology and philosophy syllabus. Holocaust Studies are now increasingly taught at University level and our experience shows that it is dramatically on the increase. The Spiro Institute, together with the Holocaust Education Trust, Professor Robert Wistrich of the Hebrew University and the Award winning film maker, Rex Bloomstein, as a response to demand developed a resource called "Lessons of the Holocaust". The work includes historical analysis, a teacher’s guide, a study guide and a documentary film specially segmented for the class room which divides into nine 5 minute sections and one 15 minute section. We host teacher training and student conferences often working with other NGO’s. for the past 6 years we have been working with a team of 70 survivors from each range of experience: Kindertransport, Hidden children, Ghetto survivors, Labour camp and death camp survivors The survivors go into schools to tell their stories to students. We require that every school has spent time studying the Holocaust before they can have the privilege of a visit. It is important to remember that survivors are in the main not historians but witnesses to a particular aspect of this appalling horror. The response from students to these visits is extraordinary. More and more schools are realising the importance of this work and last academic year the group reached over 40,000 students. In England and Wales the average lesson time is 45 minutes but most schools put aside a double session and some creative teachers are looking for ways to turn a whole day over to these sessions. Generally, survivors visit the schools in a group so that they can address a whole year’s intake, usually up to 200 students. The Spiro Institute holds fortnightly meetings with our group to discuss issues that arise in the classroom. The consensus is that it is far better to address small groups of between 15-30 children and this is why they go in in teams. Quite often students are so devastated by the testimony that many of them are unable to ask questions so then they are broken down into groups of 3 and 4 and given time to discuss the issues amongst themselves. The importance of these visits are incalculable. They personalise the enormity of the Holocaust and 95% of schools request repeat visits. The Spiro Institute at the suggestion of the survivors themselves, have carried out a survey on the questions asked of them. The first questions relate to personal experiences particularly about family life, loss of parents and siblings, hunger and cold. The next most asked question, perhaps surprising in increasingly secular England is "Do you still believe in God". The second most asked general question relates to their attitude towards the perpetrators. After each visit the survivors usually receive letters from every student as well as teachers. We ask teachers to evaluate the outcome of the visit and are in the process of instituting a second evaluation six months later. I enclose brief comments from a recent visit to an inner city London school with a diverse ethnic mix of students. These comments are representative of the thousands of letters we have on file. "Dear I am writing to thank you for taking time out of your life to talk to our class last week about the terrible ordeal you went through during World War II. Listening to your tragic story and how you were able to cope with what had happened and move on inspired me to become a stronger person and cherish human life more than before……." "Dear……….. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us about the Holocaust. I was touched in a deep way by the things you and your family went through. It made me think about how much I love my mum and family and what I would do in your situation. The things that touched me extremely were you fearing for the safety of your parents and the terrible cruel way in which Nazis killed people. I don’t think I could have survived such an ordeal but I am happy that a few people did survive and now tell younger people. I think that what you told us made us realise how lucky we are and to cherish life." "Dear…………. We usually just look at textbooks to get information but to get a "first person" view of someone who was actually there – the impact it had on me was indescribable. In the near future when I have children of my own I will pass on the knowledge of the life of the Jewish people in the second world war telling how instead of fighting and arguing we should discuss, live peacefully and care for each other." "Dear…….. ………..After the lesson I spoke to my friends and my parents about how much you had affected me and can definitely say that I will pass on your experiences for ever………" In discussion with the survivor group, the general view is that they are reason for being part of such a programme often at great personal cost is two-fold. The remembrance and honouring of their pre-war world and families and also the overriding wish that it should not be repeated and yet the knowledge that we inhabit a world where genocide is still perpetrated. As one of the group idealistically said: "I must go on because one day I may reach the student who could change the world." (a man of 85). I have described the standard programme but the survivors also work with youth groups, cinema audiences where films address the Holocaust, and basically have a flexible policy going where they can do most good. I should also mention that we liaise with a psycho-therapeutic organisation established to help survivors. Personally I consider this programme to be the most important aspect of our work. However, we have to consider how we can develop when they can no longer bear witness. There are already many splendid programmes for collecting testimony, both video and audio, but as yet in general they have not been related sufficiently to classroom teaching. In our estimation each experience should be collated into 15 to 20 minute sections to ensure effective discussion. It is increasingly important that these extracts be incorporated into memorials which is already happening in some institutions. There is another way forward. Each catastrophe has its unique and universal aspects. Though the Holocaust must continue to be taught within its historic time frame, it is more and more in its intensity seen as a paradigm of man’s potential for brutality. The harnessing of evil ideology, modern technology and bureaucracy to extermination - the nadir of western civilisation. The Holocaust is not a Jewish tragedy alone. It is a human tragedy and there are elements which mirror other catastrophes. Without losing the integrity of Holocaust studies themselves, it should be possible to develop another kind of programme. Certainly in England which is home to so many refugees, it is possible to look at areas of the syllabus which would enable them to tell their stories as a continuous warning to a world which must change for its own survivals sake. >> Back to top |
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Introduction Opening Session: Messages and speeches Plenary Sessions: Messages and speeches Workshops, Panels and Seminars
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| For information about this production and the Stockholm International Forum Conference Series please go to www.humanrights.gov.se or contact Information Rosenbad, SE-103 33 Stockholm, Sweden | |||||||||