Fifth Years expand contextual understanding during trip to Poland
40 Fifth Year Religious Studies and History pupils visited the Polish city of Krakow to expand their contextual understanding of topics covered in school.
The conditions that led to World War Two, the Holocaust and other subsequent events were the main focal points of the four-day trip.
The enthusiastic GCSE students were eager to explore their surroundings. As they walked around the Old Town, they admired the stunning architecture of Krakow’s main square – one of the largest in Europe – as well as taking in the sights of the cathedral, castle and a number of churches.
Kazimierz, the city’s historic Jewish Quarter, was the first stop of the following day. The fact that few synagogues remained was a clear sign of the horrors and destruction of the Holocaust.
One of the synagogues that is still standing is the Remuh Synagogue. The neighbouring cemetery contains the graves of many significant historical figures and students took time to reflect on the past.
The group continued their tour with a visit to Schindler’s Factory Museum as they discovered more about the German industrialist and the people he employed and helped.
The final location for the day was dinner at a traditional Jewish restaurant with live Klezmer music, followed by an evening of tenpin bowling.
The third day was spent at the largest and most infamous concentration camp in Europe – Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Approximately a million people – the majority of the victims of Auschwitz Concentration Camp – died in Birkenau and a large number of these were Jews.
In the evening, the group enjoyed a meal at an Italian restaurant before having some free time to explore Krakow’s Christmas markets.
The final location of the trip was the UNESCO-listed Wieliczka Salt Mines. The immersive tour gave the pupils the opportunity to explore the deep, 13th century, mines as they took in the fascinating art and architecture – including the beautiful etched walls.
Pupil Clara Zelhof said: “The school trip to Poland was an incredibly meaningful and educational trip. Visiting Auschwitz helped me remember one of the saddest times in history, and I learned so much about the past and how people at the time had to live. In contrast, in Krakow we visited the Christmas markets where I enjoyed a lot of food and got some presents for my family. Overall, it is definitely a trip I’d recommend as it was one of the best trips I’ve been on.”
Head of Religion and Philosophy, Mr Jamie Swann said: “The trip to Krakow is an incredibly important trip in the school calendar. Over four busy days in one of Europe’s most beautiful and important cities, the pupils gained a deeper understanding of the broader historical and cultural conditions that led to World War Two, the Holocaust, Soviet occupation and the eventual break from Communist rule in 1991.
“The trip really brought learning to life, and it was an extremely rewarding experience.”
