Just before half term a group of sixth form students flew to Poland for an informative and educational trip on the History of Krakow and the Holocaust. On the first evening we had a walking tour around the city where we learnt about the history of Krakow as a medieval town. This included the founding of the university there and visiting the Jewish quarter where we saw some of the sites from the film Schindler’s List. The next day we visited Auschwitz and Birkenau which was both challenging and impactful. I was struck by the terrible conditions of the women’s quarters in Birkenau, as well as the decorative shoes on display which were taken from prisoners arriving at the camp. On Saturday we went round the Schlinder’s Factory Museum and we were able, with the information from our phenomenal guides, to better understand the Polish experience under Nazi occupation. Throughout the trip we had plenty of time to explore the town and to try the bagels (a delicacy originating from Poland) which were sold by vendors on nearly every street corner. I know that each of us took away valuable experiences from the trip and I would like to continue to inform myself on different experiences in the war and at the concentration camps.

Jemimah, Lower VI