Reflections
Why do Holocaust Education Speakers do what they do? What motivates them to give so much time and energy to Holocaust Education? Why, between them, have they chosen to be involved in so many charitable causes and campaigns?
Ruth Barnett
"I lived in the shadow of trauma and denying my German roots for 50 years until in 1989 Bertha Leverton organised the fiftieth anniversary of our coming to England and the Kindertransport re-entered the public conscience. I then started speaking in schools for Holocaust education and writing books, targeting non-academic adolescents to think more widely and move from passive bystander to Active Upstander by doing something towards making life better for others locally and if possible also nationally and internationally.
Ann Kirk
'All we can do is reinforce and reinforce the message about prejudice and what it can lead to and show the examples of the concentration camps'.
Bob Kirk
'Every individual is entitled to be treated as just that- an individual with desires and hopes and ambitions.'
Bernd Koschland
‘We have to try and ensure that people, wherever they are, that their rights as human beings are observed. Not that it’s always the case… Democracy is something we have to fight to preserve because it is important. Together with human rights, both are important’.
Joan Salter
'Holocaust is a part of me but it doesn't define me. We seem to have got labelled. I cannot say I've done anything to be a hero. It's just getting on with our lives'
Elsa Shamash
'I'm not sure the world has learnt. I do go and support Lord Dubs's scheme... I'm very much for rescuing children, preferably of course with their parents...I do help asylum seekers now. I have for the last 12 years. I started a group.. you should see the person, not what they look like. After all my story.. proves that all the racial theories that Jews look different are utter rubbish.'
Eva Schloss
'I give talks about my terrific experiences so that people become better citizens, care for each other and live without prejudices.'
Jackie Young
'Why I and a lot of us spread the knowledge of what happened in the Holocaust is to hopefully warn people not to go down that terrible road of killing just because of somebodies religion, colour, race and creed doesn’t match ours. And lastly Cisero a long time ago said these wonderful words " Memories are the Treasury and Guardian of all Things" and it was true then and also now '.