HMD 2025

Survivor John Hajdu, MBE – 88 years old (born in Budapest, Hungary 1937)

Questions from student:

“Was there someone or something that gave you hope?”

Answer:

“My aunt. She looked after me from when I was very little and I owe everything to her.”

Survivor Gerald Granston, BEM – 92 years old (born Chemnitz, Germany 1933).

I can’t emphasise enough the evil of prejudice and what that evil does to people.

Survivor Hedi Argent, MBE – 96 years old (born Vienna, Austria 1929)

Racism attacks us for who we are. Antisemitism is the oldest form and it never really goes away. If you ever have a refugee in your school, ask them how it feels to have had to leave home. And ask them ‘what did you bring and what did you leave behind?’

We all have stories and asking each other about them is the way to understand each other.

Survivor Eva Clarke – 80 years old (born Mauthausen Concentration Camp, Austria 1945)

Just think about all the genocide since: Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur and so it goes on. The only way we can counteract all these things is through education.

Peter Lantos, BEM – 86 years old (born Mako, Hungary 1939)

Even in the darkest times you may find just a little ray of sunshine

Survivor John Fieldsend – 94 years old (born Czechoslovakia in 1931).

John was one of the 669 children who escaped through the Kindertransport trains arranged by British stockbroker Nicholas Winton

You took a piece of your parents’ hearts with you when you went away. I will always remember the good times we spent together 

Taking a close look at the Ark

and one of the Torah scrolls

Survivor Peter Summerfield, BEM – 92 years old (born Berlin, Germany 1933)

We got out four days before war began with nothing but the clothes we were standing in (and my teddy).
But at least we were free.

 Survivor Steven Frank, BEM – 87 years old (Born Amsterdam, Holland 1938)

You can cut down the tree, but the roots will survive and grow back.

And comments from some of our visitors, teachers and speakers:

Jon Silverman, Research Professor of Media & Criminal Justice at the University of Bedfordshire

I was very impressed with the workshop – and particularly with the opening session with Laura Fox. I told her that her summation of the Nazi project from the early 1920s to the Holocaust was expertly judged for that age of audience and their attention was held throughout.

Annie Cornbleet

Thank you for the deeply moving and truly excellent Holocaust Memorial Event with Archer Academy on Tuesday 4th Feb. You very kindly invited me as an observer, and I can honestly say I have been left with a most profound experience. 

Listening to Gerald Granston where everyone seemed to be holding their breath was exceptional. I was moved to tears. Finally, as a teacher and Headteacher with a career spanning well over 30 years I was hugely impressed with the students from Archer Academy. Their intent listening, intelligent participation and hushed respect was miraculous to behold.

Sarah Ballard and Jo Hookes, Freelance Educators

Jo and I would like to thank you for having us at the synagogue yesterday. We both really enjoyed the workshop, and it was lovely to meet Eva and hear that her birth certificate is on display in the Holocaust exhibition at IWM. We were also both so struck by all the amazing work the volunteers and staff at the synagogue are doing in the local community.
 

Dr Melanie Lee, Headteacher, JCoSS

I found the whole morning thoroughly interesting and was especially moved by John’s talk. There is clearly a huge amount of thought and organisation that goes into these events, and I am very pleased to have been invited so I could see firsthand the crucial work that you are doing.

Hannah Barth, Head of Informal Education at JJCoSS

It was so inspirational to see so many future educators gathered and showing such interest in Holocaust Education. Laura was so engaging, and the morning was professional, slick, and gave me a lot to take away. 

Ian Jacobs, Sexton, JJBS

Thank you for a wonderful afternoon. The Holocaust survivor was so inspirational, and it was an honour for me to have spoken to him briefly. Such a wonderful man (John Fieldsend).

Louise, yourself and the other volunteers do an amazing amount of work, and I appreciate that. It was also good to see a lot of pupils present to learn so we never forget.

Paul Ward, Head of History St. Michael’s Catholic Grammar School

What you are doing has local and national importance and I hope that it continues for a long time to come.

Phillip Jefferies, Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, Faculty of Health, Social Care & Education, University of Middlesex,

Many thanks for the pictures and the work you sent through in the post. We all really loved out visit to FRS, especially the warm welcome we had from everyone. We have followed up with our students on the topics and Eva’s talk, and were really moved and found the whole experience very worthwhile. We look forward to coming to see you all again next year.

Peter Summerfield BEM, Speaker 12 February 2025

Both Marianne and I were very pleased to have joined you yesterday for the visit to your Synagogue by a class from St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School. We were both very impressed with all the many arrangements you made to make this visit worthwhile and meaningful. I would like to congratulate your team for the hard work you obviously put in to make these events a success as they happen to be of increased importance. 

John Fieldsend, Speaker 12 February 2025

What a wonderful day we had yesterday. Your synagogue is doing a great work. 

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