STUDENTS from Red Maid’s School in Bristol welcomed a special guest into their classrooms as part of a national scheme raising awareness of the Holocaust.


Yr 10 to 13 students were inspired by their guest of honour on Monday (October 5), Berlin-born Holocaust survivor Rudi Oppenheimer, who shared his wartime experiences.


The visit was part of the school’s involvement in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s (HET) scheme which aims to ensure that the stories of those affected are never forgotten.


Isabel Tobias, headmistress of Red Maids’ School, said: “It is a privilege for us to welcome Rudi Oppenheimer to our school and his testimony will remain a powerful reminder of the horrors so many experienced.


“We are grateful to the HET for co-ordinating the visit and we hope that by hearing Rudi’s testimony, it will encourage our students to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust and make a positive difference in their own lives.”


Yr 13 history students Clarice Montero and Jess Bates were also involved in the scheme when they visited a former Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland in April.


Clarice, 17, said: “It’s one thing to hear about the atrocities that took place but seeing where it happened made you believe it on a completely different level. 


“I came back to England with a sense of real urgency to spread the message about what happened – we must remember and think about it so as to ensure that it never happens again.”


The girls have received commendations from the HET in recognition of their work on the project which also involved writing an article for The Maiden magazine, attending seminars and presenting their feedback to an audience.


Karen Pollock MBE, chief executive of the trust, said: “Rudi’s story is one of tremendous courage during horrific circumstances and by hearing his testimony, students will have the opportunity to learn where prejudice and racism can ultimately lead."