Holocaust Day – Paul’s  Journey: a lesson for us all

25 January 2007

Copies of Paul’s Journey – the story of a German Jewish boy, 10 years old when war was declared – are being distributed to schools across England and Wales to coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day, Saturday 27 January, by the National Union of Teachers working with the Holocaust Educational Trust.

The booklet tells the story of Paul Oppenheimer, an ordinary young boy and a contemporary of Anne Frank, who travelled from Germany to England to Holland. He and his family were then transported to Westerbork concentration camp in 1943 and then to Bergen-Belsen in 1944 where his mother, father, two grandfathers and his grandmother died leaving Paul to take care of his brother Rudi and his sister Eve.

“Conditions in the camp were so bad that soldiers didn’t even try to kill people. They were just left to die from starvation or disease,” says Paul.

The booklet is aimed at pupils in Year 6 and above and deals with the horrors of the camps sensitively. It gives a human perspective on this catastrophic period of history. Lesson plans have been included and it is suggested that pupils might like to write to Paul.

Steve Sinnott, NUT General Secretary, said: “The Holocaust is now more than half a century behind us but genocide continues to ravage the world from Rwanda to the former Yugoslavia. Paul’s story will help young people understand the dangers and iniquities of racism.

“If all our futures are to be better we must understand and never forget the past.”

Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “We are delighted that the NUT has spearheaded this fantastic initiative – Paul Oppenheimer is an incredible man and it is important that as many students as possible can learn from his story.
 
“The Holocaust can be an overwhelming topic to study due to the sheer number of victims. It is often easier to comprehend one person’s story than contemplate the loss of over 6 million. Paul’s Journey offers students a human perspective on this catastrophic period of history. By discussing the issues it raises, such as cruelty and religious discrimination, young people can understand the lessons of the Holocaust and the relevance of these lessons to their own lives.”
 
Paul Oppenheimer said: "I am very excited that my story will be sent out to so many schools. Education must be the focus of Holocaust Memorial Day and teaching about the Holocaust is relevant for the lessons that can be learned today about prejudice and discrimination.
 
“Many schools have done a great job of teaching about the Holocaust but I believe there are far more that haven't done enough. There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure all young people learn about the Holocaust."

Paul and Rudi – they could not find Eve in the chaos - were used by the Nazis as hostages when the British moved to liberate Bergen-Belsen in 1945. They were taken by train to Berlin and were eventually freed by Russian soldiers on horseback. “Rudi and I had been liberated and I had beaten Adolf Hitler.”

The boys found their sister in Leipzig when the Russians were transporting them back to Holland. Eventually, in 1945, the three were allowed to join an uncle and his wife who lived in London. “After ten years of running away, we could settle down to begin a new life as normal teenage children,” says Paul.