News History Trip ‘Hugely Valuable For All’ 25.07.2023

History students have recently returned from an educational trip, which included visits to Auschwitz and Krakow.

The group spent their first afternoon on a guided tour of Krakow, including a visit to the Galicia Jewish Museum. The students heard the history of Jewish persecution in Poland during the Holocaust and took time to visit the internationally acclaimed photographic exhibition ‘Traces of Memory’.

Head of History, Lucy MacDonald, said: “The students also had a guided tour of Auschwitz, which was a very moving and emotional experience, so important to the remembrance of the Holocaust and the lessons to be learnt from history.”

The students had some free time to explore the beautiful city of Krakow before heading to the Nowa Huta where they were transported back to Poland in the late 80s. During a role play activity, the group had to follow the clues to ‘rescue’ their guide who had been ‘held by the Communist Police’. The exercise proved to be an adventure and included helping to jump start a vintage Lada and a secret meeting with ‘a member of the solidarity movement’.

Lucy added: “We returned exhausted, but it was worthwhile. This was a hugely valuable experience for all involved.”