Students of History and PSE at the Sir John Colfox School, have been exploring the horrors of the Holocaust and had the opportunity to listen to the story of a Holocaust survivor.  Walter Kammerling came to the UK from Vienna with the Kindertransport as a young teenager while his parents and eldest sister remained in Europe.  Sadly, while Walter and his elder sister set up home in the UK, the rest of his family were taken to Auschwitz where they were killed shortly before the liberation of the concentration camp. 

Speaking about Mr Kammerling's visit, Head of History Maureen Greene said:  ‘It was a privilege to hear his amazing story about his life and treatment at the hands of the Nazis.  Hearing first hand accounts from survivors like Mr Kammerling is very important as it brings historical events to life.  It also teaches us that we must try to stop this sort of persecution from happening again.' 

 Year 11 history student Nathan Goldstone added: "I found it amazing that he could talk so calmly about such awful things which played such a big part in his life.  He was really open and able to talk to us on our level.  It was moving to hear about the good life he enjoyed in the UK when compared to what was going on in his home in Vienna." 

The PSE department now intends to follow up the event by looking at areas where oppression and discrimination are a reality in the world today.