Students Meet Holocaust Survivor

On Friday 29^th September a group of year 11 and Sixth Form students had the pleasure of Visiting Solihull School to watch a performance of ‘Kindness: A Legacy of the Holocaust’. The play is based on the life of Holocaust survivor Susan Pollack OBE and has been seen by nearly 20,000 students and members of the public since its premiere in 2022. Susan Pollack is a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, who at the age of 13 was sent to Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. The words throughout the play were the words of Susan and detailed how in 1944, Susan and her family were sent by cattle truck to Auschwitz-Birkenau where she was immediately separated from her mother. She soon learnt that her mother had been sent to the gas chambers. She was then selected to work and remained in the camp for 10 weeks before being sent to Germany to work as slave labourer in an armaments factory. After the war she found out that more than 50 of her relatives had been killed and that her and her brother were the only family members who survived.

Susan who is now 93 years old was present at the performance and answered questions from the audience about her experience. Susan talked to students about the importance of challenging hate speech and being kind to others, especially those who may be different from us. it was a fascinating, inspiring and ‘once in a lifetime’ experience for the students.  Well done to everyone who took part and thank you to Solihull School for hosting this special event and to Susan for so generously giving her time to spread the message of kindness.

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