2 Genocide Awareness Day: Special report had a good upbringing in their respective towns, surrounded by family and Recently, the students attending Genneighbours. Kemal had many friends ocide Awareness Day at Hampton from diverse backgrounds and Sophie heard three moving stories from three enjoyed singing at church with her amazing survivors, but what we couldfriends. They were ordinary children, n’t help but think about was how norliving ordinary lives, free of thoughts mal their lives were before the genoof war and murder. cides, and how it could have been When chaos and war broke out, all anyone in their positions. three survivors talked about how they Sophie, Zigi and Kemal all experienced tried to live like they had before, with the horrors of genocide for different Sophie remaining at home in her vilreasons, and all were brought up in lage, Zigi refusing to go into hiding and different areas with different cultures Kemal refusing to become a soldier. but they were just ordinary people. All “Why should we [have thought] we three speakers had a good upbringing, were going to die?” Zigi recalls. “We with a loving family and a network of were just people.” friends. Although Zigi’s parents diYet their lives were turned upside vorced when he was three, he lived well with his grandparents in an afflu- down. Zigi was forced into a ghetto and then to Auschwitz. Kemal spoke of the horrors of the Omarska concentration camp where he was interrogated by his teacher! Sophie witnessed the horrific murder of some of her family and cam close to death More than a hundred and thirty students heard the testi- many times.
“It Could Have Been Anyone”
mony of Zigi, Sophie and Kemal at Hampton School.
They were ordinary people in terrible ent part of Poland. He still recalls with times. Anyone could have been in Soamazement that fact that he had his phie, Kemal or Zigi’s position. own bedroom! Kemal and Sophie both The Genocide Awareness Day reports have been collaboratively written by: Joshua & Harry, Grey Court School Isabella & Scarlett, Lady Eleanor Holles School Isobel & Erin, St Richard Reynolds Catholic College Kristian, Kai, Morgan, Hampton High Jack, Luke & Anton, Turing House School Anya & Lilly, Christ’s School Emily & Millie, Tolworth Girls’ School
“Do note hate, hate will ruin your life” Holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper shares his experiences. A survivor of the Holocaust, Zigi Shipper, visits schools to teach young people about genocide. Today his discussed his experiences. Q: Have you ever been back to visit Poland since the Holocaust? A: I never wanted to go back to Poland. I never even wanted to go to AuschwitzBirkenau but when my daughters grew up they insisted. They wanted to see where I had been. It brought back some terrible memories. Q: How did you adapt to normal life after your experiences? A: The first six months were hell for me. But soon I met some other young survivors who became my family. We still see each other every weekend. Q: Why do you think it is important to educate younger generations about genocide? A: What is happening in the world today is just unbelievable. The young people are the future. I always say one thing to them: ‘Do not hate. Hate will ruin your life.’ Zigi is an inspiration to all of us. He has such passion for his work and believes that the younger generation have so much power and potential to be good. He always says ‘Do not hate, hate will ruin your life.’ This is something that the whole world can learn from and can inspire us to always choose love, not hate.
