"We need to remember this," says student Tove Kajok. To the right is her classmate Alma Lundgren.
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.
The exhibition highlights the stories of children during the Holocaust.
– 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.
"I didn't want to get stuck just talking about conflicts and wars during class time," says teacher Kornelia Paulander.
The exhibition 'Children during the Holocaust' is on display at Anderstorp High School until Sunday, January 28. However, it is also accessible online.
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.
History teacher Kornelia Paulander initiated the exhibition's display at the school: 'I wanted to observe the memorial day in a meaningful way.'
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.
Hanna Brezinska/Dimitri, a Roma girl who experienced the Holocaust as a child, is featured in a poignant poster. The poster recounts the heartbreaking final moments when she saw her five-year-old sister Anita for the last time: 'We walked out of the barracks hand in hand; I followed my sister to her death.'
Classmates Tove Kajok and Alma Lundgren think it's good that the memorial day is being commemorated.
– 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.