International Holocaust Remembrance Day serves as a tribute to those who suffered and perished during the Holocaust.
Tove Kajok and Alma Lundgren, social science students at Anderstorp Gymnasium, appreciate the school's recognition of this day.
– It is always beneficial to revisit history. It contributes to personal growth, so it is important to educate young people about historical events, says Tove Kajok.
Alma Lundgren adds:
– People should understand the consequences of their actions.
The exhibition, created by the Living History Forum, is available both at the school and online, thanks to the initiative of history teacher Kornelia Paulander.
– This is relevant to all students, regardless of their academic focus. I wanted to make it easily accessible and not limit classroom discussions only to conflicts and wars, says Paulander.
She underscores the exhibition's heightened relevance in the current global context, citing the plight of vulnerable children worldwide and the heightened sensitivity surrounding Israel and Palestine.
"Children in the Holocaust" highlights the genocide and persecution of Jews and Roma by the Nazi German regime. Emphasizing the children's perspective, the exhibition delves into individual life stories.
Among these stories, Paulander highlights Hanna, a Roma girl who, at the tender age of eight, witnessed the brutal murder of her family by Nazi soldiers. Hanna and her sister were then transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
In a chilling twist, prisoners at the camp advised Hanna to walk on her toes in order to meet the height requirements for survival.
– In the camp they were measured. If you did not meet a certain height requirement, you were sent directly to the gas chamber. Hanna's sister was younger and shorter, so Hanna had to accompany her on her walk to her death in the gas chamber. In spite of all she had to endure, Hanna survived and later arrived in Sweden.