In commemoration of LGBTQ+ History month pupils learnt about Fredy Hirsch in a chapel address. A new novel by Wendy Holden called ‘The Teacher of Auschwitz’ honours this young man’s life which was cut short by the Nazis after being sent to Auschwitz.
Fredy was a gay Jewish athlete, who found himself persecuted during the rise of Hitler in the 1930’s. Being an athlete, he was admired by the SS, despite being a Jew, and he became known for setting up a school area in Auschwitz which protected children from the worst atrocities taking place there. After the war, he was branded by the Communist party as a homosexual and a collaborator, and his story remained largely unknown. Those who were protected by Fredy and benefited from his bravery in the camps, kept his name alive, and we can now read about his heroic actions in this new novel. The book begins; “My name is Fredy Hirsch. I am 28 years old. I am a teacher, I am a dreamer, I have loved and laughed, cried and almost died a thousand times. My name is Fredy Hirsch. Please, be so kind as to remember my name.”
Related Posts
Our annual Lower Sixth Business Challenge took place this week. Pupils were put into small groups and each group was assigned a business mentor with their challenge. The challenges varied from making decisions on expansion plans for a recruitment business, to designing an APP to support mental and physical health. By the end of [...]
The 98th running of the Senior School House Cross Country took place on Saturday at the challenging Nashenden Downs course, with 86 pupils taking part. Even the Principal entered and finished a respectable 6th! With rolling hills, exposed fields, and sticky late-November conditions underfoot, the event provided a true test of endurance, grit, and [...]
Our cadets welcomed CCF staff, ORs and Chair of Governors Air Commodore John Mass to the annual CCF dinner. This took place in the Conference Centre where everyone enjoyed a delicious meal, speech and traditional toasts.
