A HOLOCAUST survivor gave pupils at Kingsley School in Leamington a first hand account of his horrific experiences during the Second World War.
As a child, Rudi Oppenheimer and his family managed to flee to Holland, and a short stay in England saw the birth of his sister, whose status was to spare them from the gas chamber.
Sadly Mr Oppenheimer and his family were still deported, and ended up in Bergen-Bersen, the concentration camp that held Anne Frank, and where he later lost his parents to typhus.
The children were among those to be liberated by the Russian army, and since Mr Oppenheimer has enjoyed a life in England, where he now works with The Holocaust Educational Trust – an organisation raising awareness of the Holocaust and ensuring it holds a permanent place in the nation’s collective memory.
Rachel Bubb, Kingsley head of RE, 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 Holocaust Educational Trust 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.”
