We worked with a group of 15 pupils from years 7 to 9 at Archbishop Ilsley School to create their ‘echo’ of Hedi Frankl’s testimony. Our work together culminated in a short performance piece: “Hedi was aged just 16, the same age as many children in our school. We carefully watched Hedi’s interview. We were moved by what she said. We found it difficult to comprehend what had happened to her and millions of others.
We questioned how human beings could do such things to other human beings. We asked why. We asked how. We wondered if such a genocide could ever happen again. We discovered that it has and that it could.
Listening to Hedi we realised that we cannot put ourselves in her shoes. We cannot pretend to know or understand what she and others went through. But listening to the words of one human being among millions has made us think. It has made us understand that we must never forget. We must not take peace or kindness or humanity for granted.
Our response to Hedi’s testimony uses her words and our words, because words are powerful things — for good or ill. It matters who says them and it matters how they are heard.”