St Gregory’s reflect on fragility of freedom

Shoah Memorial ‘Fragility of Freedom’

For Holocaust Memorial Day this year in St Gregory’s, we have been using this year’s theme from the Holocaust Memorial Trust and exploring the concept of freedom in Chaplaincy, tutor time and lessons this week. 

Our head of history, Mrs Sarbatta, reminded students of the 10 stages of genocide in assemblies, which begin with classification, symbolisation and discrimination.  The discriminatory measures put in place by the Nazi party which stripped millions of basic freedoms, must have caused immense emotional pain in the years building up to the point of death camps. 

We asked many students to reflect on this and the freedoms we enjoy today, considering that it was such everyday essentials as relationships, recreation, shopping, speech and religion that were taken from Jews.  

They were invited to share which freedoms they would struggle with having taken from them and why.  The thoughts and responses have formed the basis for a display in reception surrounding the purple memorial flame. 

Below are a few pictures and examples of student thoughts:

“The freedom of self-identity.  What I do and what I am, are linked but hiding that would be almost impossible to me.  I am who I am, no one can take that away from me.  Knowing that for many their identity was hidden or destroyed is heart-breaking.” 

“The freedom to pray and worship.  Freedom to laugh and have fun with friends who I choose.  The freedom to speak and have my own opinions.”  

“ The freedom to have an education.  So many girls have this taken away from them and the hope of a better future is destroyed.”