How Could This Happen: lessons learnt from history

When Jason Steinberg, father of Year 10 history student Ella, learned the class was studying Australia’s involvement in WWII, he offered to install a temporary exhibit in the senior library about the Holocaust. While not part of the formal curriculum, the display enriched the students’ studies about this important time in history and was also visited by RVE classes. The exhibition was developed by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre based in Israel, and produced by the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies, of which Mr Steinberg is Vice-President. Head of eLearning and Research and Year 10 history teacher Alison Scott said the students were energised by the different material and powerful visuals of the display. There were three displays in the exhibit. One was an historical overview and asked the question “How was it humanly possible”; a second – Spots of Light: Women in the Holocaust –focused on women’s experience in the holocaust; while a third was a series of suitcases containing iPads which featured videos of survivors who had emigrated to Queensland which brought the experience very close to home for the students. The women’s stories, showing mothers protecting their children, also strongly resonated with the girls. Students were asked to do a creative response – from artwork to poetry and powerpoints – to reflect on what they had seen or learnt. These were then saved on OneNote and a QR code was created and attached to the displays so everyone could access these responses. Ms Scott said: “Being a post-assessment topic, students had the freedom to explore the topic and respond to whatever drew them in.” This display also attracted interest from local politicians who came to view the display and enjoyed engaging with the students and hearing their responses to the exhibits. We thank Tim Nicholls, MP Member for Clayfield, Trevor Evans MP, Federal Member for Brisbane, and the Hon Stirling Hinchliffe MP, the then Minister for Local Government, Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs for visiting the display and speaking with the students. We would like to sincerely thank Jason Steinberg for organising the display. In addition, Jason, together with Paul Myers, the Queensland Jewish board of Deputies President, and parent Andrew Butcher (whose company SignSite produced the displays) also visited and shared their insights with students and the visiting politicians, and we thank them for their time. Below is one of the powerful responses to the exhibits by Year 10 student Kate Bloomfield, entitled Why.

Why

Just like that, she was gone. Right before my eyes, She was gone. The gas took her life from her, Before it had even begun. And took away mine. I didn’t even need the gas to feel dead. I was already dead inside and out. Only 3 she was,

And had an amazing life ahead of her. But no.

The gas took her life from her, She didn’t deserve it; no one did. Their pure motive was to kill and kill is what they did. I thought it was a shower, but I was wrong. I should never have believed them, Why should I?

All they did was lie, Lie and more lies, Just to make us obedient – obedient of our death. “Work will set you free,” they said. Lies and more lies, Free from what? From life? From love? But we had no choice. My last wish was that I got her out earlier, Out of this hell. Why, I ask? Why? What did we do? Nothing is the answer, but still, The gas took her life from her, Before it had even begun. Kate Bloomfield