Pupils meet asurvivor whodespises hate

Zigi Shipper, a Jewish teenager during the Second World War, lived through the hell of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Then, as the victorious Red Army forced the Nazis towards final defeat, he and other survivors were forced to make a desperate march.

He was liberated on May 3, 1945, and since settling in the UK – where he raised a family – has spent much of his life telling people, particularly school pupils, about the deadly danger posed by prejudice and hate.

Academy head teacher Mark Cairns said: “It is a privilege for us to welcome Zigi Shipper 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 (HET) for co-ordinating the visit and we hope that by hearing Zigi’s testimony, it will encourage our students to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust and make a positive difference in their own lives.”

Karen Pollock MBE, chief executive of the HET said: “The Trust educates and engages students from across the UK, from all communities about the Holocaust

“Zigi’s story is one of tremendous courage during horrific circumstances and by hearing his testimony, students will have the opportunity to learn where prejudice and racism can ultimately lead.”

The Trust aims to ensure that we honour the memory of those whose lives were lost and take forward the lessons taught by those who survived.