Students at Stratford-upon-Avon College had the privilege of hearing testimony from Holocaust survivor Uri Winterstein.
Uri visited the College to talk to the students about the reality of living through the Holocaust. His testimony provided a powerful reminder of the horrors so many experienced and was followed by a question and answer session which enabled students to gain a better understanding of the nature of the Holocaust and to explore its lessons in more depth.
His visit was organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust’s extensive all-year-round Outreach Programme, which is available to schools throughout the UK. Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, explained:
“There can be no better way to educate students about the Holocaust than through the first-hand testimony of a survivor. Uri’s story is one of tremendous courage during horrific circumstances and by hearing his testimony, students will have the opportunity to learn where prejudice and racism can ultimately lead.”
Uri himself believes that the Holocaust can be taken as an extreme example of what man’s inhumanity to man can lead to. “I want to spread a message about the dangers of extreme ideologies.”
When he first began visiting schools on behalf of the Trust, he found it very difficult to discuss his experiences, and admits he gave his talks out of a sense of duty. He gradually came to find, however, that there were unexpected benefits, one being the very positive response from students. Although he does not believe it is possible to convey adequately the appalling reality, “you can convey enough of the horror that it makes an impact.”
When asked to describe the single most important lesson he would like students to take away with them, Uri unhesitatingly responded: “Tolerance of others. The differences between us are much smaller than the things we all share in common.”
