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Original poster

School trip to Auschwitz - opimnions

161 replies

forsale · 19/09/2007 15:19

dd has brought a letter home from school re: a visit to Krakow with a view to visiting Auschwitz - Does anyone have experience of this?

OP posts:
unknownrebelbang · 19/09/2007 22:26

Not sure I'd want my 14 year old (he's 13 at the moment) to go to Auschwitz.

I do believe children ought to learn about the horrors of what went on, but I know and understand the horror, and I've never been.

berolina · 19/09/2007 22:26

maisy - cod isn't denying the holocaust. How you get that idea from her posts, I'm not sure, tbh.

FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:26

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BecauseImWorthIt · 19/09/2007 22:26

I never suggested that you couldn't 'get' WW2 without visiting places like Auschwitz. But it is part of a more fully rounded understanding of what happened during the war.

And yes, there were different kinds of camps - I do know this.

In my experience (which is all I am qualified to talk about) I gained a much deeper understanding of the ramifications of the war, from a human perspective, and suddenly all my history lessons made much more sense to me.

(which is not to criticise my teachers, either - it suddenly became so much more real to me)

FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:26

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gibberish · 19/09/2007 22:25

Cod ISN'T denying the holocaust!! These camps were not set up as a result of the war - these had a different agenda - set up to destroy certain groups of people and had Hitler had the power to do that at any other time he would have. Although they happened at the time of WW2, and Hitler's political position allowed him to set up the camps, they were not as a direct result of the political conflict at the time. If that makes any sense.

FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:25

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maisym · 19/09/2007 22:25

"the EU has not prohibited Holocaust denial outright, although a maximum term of three years in jail is optionally available to all member nations for "denying or grossly trivializing crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes."[84][85]" reference from wikipedia search on holocaust denial.

southeatsastras · 19/09/2007 22:24

the british didn't know anything about nazi concentration camps.

my father in law was in berlin towards the end of the war. he was in signals.

we have some photos of him posed with german soldiers. they really didn't know what was going on

FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:24

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FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:24

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TotalChaos · 19/09/2007 22:23

I think cod has several good points here. I expect that it would be far more harrowing to visit the site of an extermination camp such as Auchwitz than the camp I visited.

lisalisa · 19/09/2007 22:22

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FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:21

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FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:20

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TotalChaos · 19/09/2007 22:20

I agree Dino. As part of a school trip at 15 we went to a concentration camp (Struthof/Natzweiler). It was chilling and upsetting, but I think it was appropriate.

I might not agree with Icod's comment about it not being part of the war, but I don't see why it's inappropriate!

southeatsastras · 19/09/2007 22:20

i watched a film 'kindertransporten' i think it was. that would be a good film to show children. they could relate to it.

BecauseImWorthIt · 19/09/2007 22:20

Too young at 14?!

Do you really think at this age they shoudl still be protected from the truth? Do you know what they watch/listen to/talk to each other about?!

What went on during the Holocaust was truly horrible and traumatising. But it does not mean that we shouldn't teach our children about it.

SpeccieSeccie · 19/09/2007 22:20

It isn't about the war in a 'trenches' sense is it? Or even in a political/strategic sense, as no warfare decisions were taken there.

It is about human suffering and cruelty as well as resilience and grace, and educational about those.

But, it is serious rubbish to imply that anyone can't 'get' WW2 without visiting the place. There might be much to be gain from a 14 yr old visiting Auschwitz but reading about it is educational enough for teenage needs, surely?

brimfull · 19/09/2007 22:19

my dd went in yr 10 but to a different concentrration camp,sauchanhausen or something.

SShe found it very interesting.It didn't give her nightmares,she found it very moving,especially talking to a survivor.

I think it's a good opportunity ,don't think they are too young.

icod · 19/09/2007 22:19

This reply has been deleted

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FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:19

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maisym · 19/09/2007 22:19

you might think that by typing as you do you can write what you want but Holocaust denial is a crime. I am offended by your comments.

FluffyMummy123 · 19/09/2007 22:18

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fortyplus · 19/09/2007 22:17

I think the choice should be hers - you must be able to google it and give her a taste of the horrors she will see. Things like piles and piles of shoes...

Ds1 is 13.5 yr9 and I definitely wouldn't imagine him wanting to go - he has been upset in the past by the trenches experience at Imperial War Museum and visiting HMS Victory and HMS Belfast. He empathises with the people who went through it.