‘My Grandad and beautiful Grandma were taken away by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. I never saw them again. They died there’.
The Year 8 students are currently reading the novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and were extremely fortunate to be able to meet a holocaust survivor, Hetty Verolme, and obtain a deeper insight into what life was like during the Nazi regime and in the concentration camps. Ms Verolme related her life story revealing her heartbreaking experiences as a Jewish child during the holocaust.
Born in Belgium in 1930, Ms Verolme was sent in 1943 to the Nazi concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen at the age of thirteen. She explained that she faced horrific conditions with only three quarters of a litre of brown watery soup and a four centimetre slice of bread. Feelings of abandonment, fear, loneliness, grief for her family and hunger were constant companions. Ms Verolme related how death and suffering was part of everyday life and many people disappeared without trace, yet she emphasised that amidst the pain and trauma, the prisoners often showed remarkable humanity.
Hetty as well as her mother, father and brothers survived. She migrated to Australia at the age of 24 and has dedicated her life to educating others about the Holocaust. Ms Verolme is a published author who has written two books recounting the events she witnessed during the German occupation of WWII: The Children’s House of Belsen Bergen and Hetty: A True Story.
Ms Verolme is an incredible person and we will forever remember her story. Her words, ‘I always believed tomorrow would be a better day’ are inspiring. We will endeavour to fulfil her wish to continue to help others understand the way children were treated by the Nazis, and the terrible consequences of prejudice and hatred.
Written by Year 8 Students