IMMEDIATE

17th February 2009

NEW HOLOCAUST EDUCATION RESOURCE AVAILABLE

FREE-OF-CHARGE TO ALL LOCAL SCHOOLS

The Holocaust Educational Trust, together with the National Union of Teachers, has published a remarkable new educational resource, Martin and Erica’s Journey, which is being made available free-of-charge to all local primary and secondary schools.

The resource, which is suitable for Year 6 upwards, tells the story of Dr. Martin Stern and his sister Erica, who survived Nazi persecution through individual acts of kindness and bravery. The publication focuses on Martin’s testimony and recounts the journey he and his sister were forced to make through Europe during the Second World War. After liberation, Martin and his sister moved to the UK and Martin grew up to become a hospital doctor. He is still living in the UK today.

Notes for teachers have also been produced by the Holocaust Educational Trust to accompany the new publication.

Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, commented:

“There can be no better way for students to learn than through the testimony of a Survivor and we are delighted that this excellent publication is being made available free-of-charge to every school in England.

“By educating about the Holocaust, students not only learn about this dark period of history but also recognise the relevance of the Holocaust today and the importance of tackling bullying, racism and all forms of prejudice.”

Christine Blower, Acting General Secretary, National Union of Teachers said:

“The NUT has a proud history of supporting race equality and diversity, its importance and the lessons that can be learnt from history.

“This is an invaluable personal record of the horrors of one of the 20th century’s worst atrocities. We intend for Martin and Erica’s Journey to reach a wide audience through schools and universities.

“We hope that this powerful story will help young people understand the consequences of prejudice and racism and in turn challenge all forms of discrimination.”

-END-

Martin & Erica’s Journey is being sent, free-of-charge, to all primary and middle schools in England and Wales.

Secondary schools can request a copy from the Holocaust Educational Trust on 020 7222 6822/ or they can download a copy from the NUT website,

For press enquiries, please contact Nikki Saunders from the Holocaust Educational Trust on 020 7284 6943

Editors Notes:

Martin & Erica’s Journey

Published by the National Union of Teachers and the Holocaust Educational Trust, Martin and Erica’s Journey tells the story of Martin Stern, a Holocaust survivor, and his sister Erica. Martin recounts the journey he and his sister were forced to make through Europe during the Second World War. He was a young child when the German Nazis invaded the Netherlands in 1940, and both he and Erica went on to survive the Westerbork transit camp and the Theresienstadt ghetto, in the then Czecholsolvakia. On liberation, Martin and his sister returned to the Netherlands for a short while before moving to the UK to join a family who had themselves previously fled Europe to escape Nazi persecution. Martin grew up to become a hospital doctor and is still living in the UK, while his sister became a psychologist and went on to work in a Dutch university. Erica passed away in 2007.

The publication focuses on Martin’s testimony and provides a human perspective of this catastrophic period of history. The language and content are appropriate for Year 6 students upwards and focuses on issues of survival rather than horrific descriptions of the camps. Martin provides moving descriptions of those adults who put their own lives at risk to help him and his younger sister, as well as providing details of his early life. Notes for teachers have also been produced to accompany this publication.

Holocaust Educational Trust

The Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) was established in 1988 to educate young people from every ethnic background about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today. HET works in schools, universities and in the community to raise awareness and understanding of the Holocaust, providing teacher training, an outreach programme for schools, teaching aids and resource materials. HET regard one of their earliest achievements as ensuring the Holocaust formed part of the National Curriculum for History. HET continues to play a leading role in training teachers on how best to teach the Holocaust and in 2007, the Treasury pledged a three-year commitment to enable HET to administer a broad programme of teacher training.

HET’s activities:

  • The Outreach Programme: This is a central part of HET’s work and gives students and teachers the opportunity to hear Survivor testimony firsthand – the impact of hearing a Survivor speak is something most people never forget and is a key feature of HET’s approach to this subject. The programme is free of charge and allows young people to take part in focused workshops designed and delivered by HET’s educators.
  • Think Equal: This programme has been devised specifically for schools in areas of racial tension. Working with staff in schools,HET’s educators deliver teacher training to enable staff to devise workshops for their students focusing on the dangers of racism and discrimination and the contemporary lessons to be drawn from the Holocaust. As part of the project, students are also given the opportunity to hear a Holocaust Survivor speak. To date, Think Equal has been delivered in schools in the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham and Haringey and HET now plans to take Think Equal into schools across the country.
  • Lessons from Auschwitz Project:HET’s Lessons from Auschwitz Project for post-16 students and teachers is now in its tenth year and has taken over 5000 students and teachers from across the UK to Auschwitz-Birkenau, as well as many MPs and other guests. The four-part course incorporates a one-day visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The visits, combined with Orientation and Follow-up seminars, leave an unforgettable emotional and educational mark on participants. The Project aims to increase knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust based on the premise that ‘hearing is not like seeing’ and to signal what can happen if prejudice and racism become acceptable.

In November 2005, the Treasury announced funding of £1.5 million for HET to support its Lessons from Auschwitz Project. The funding has enabled HET to facilitate visits to Auschwitz for 2 students from every school in the UK. Last year, the Department for Children, Schools & Families announced renewed funding for English schools and in November 2008 the Scottish Government announced funding for Scottish schools.

  • Recollections:Eyewitnesses Remember the Holocaust: HET has produced a BAFTA award-winning DVD-ROM Recollections: Eyewitnesses Remember the Holocaust, in conjunction with the USC Shoah Foundation Institute. The groundbreaking interactive teaching resource integrates testimony from 18 eyewitnesses of the Holocaust, including Jewish, Roma, Sinti and Jehovah’s Witness Survivors as well as political prisoners and testimony from Survivors of the eugenics programme.
  • Teacher training: HET delivers teacher training to both trainee teachers at universities and institutions of higher education and to practising teachers as part of their Continuing Professional Development.HET also holds an annual teacher training course at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem which is open to both trainee and practising teachers from across the country.