My name is Charlotte Grace, and I am about to start my third year studying Archaeology and Ancient History. During my summer, I spent time working as an intern in the Collaborative Research Internship on the Antisemitism in Post-Migrant Britain project headed by Dr Sara Jones, and Sarah Hall. My role involved creating classroom resources for school children around the age of 13 in the United Kingdom, offering insight into the experiences of the brutal Antisemitism in Eastern Europe.
Upon beginning my research into my two specific topics, the Katyn Massacre in Smolensk, and the involvement of the Ukrainian nationalists in the murder of Ukrainian Jews, it became clear that the resources available to me were limited, further exemplifying the necessity of the project itself.
Holocaust education in England has been compulsory since 1991, and anyone reading this who attended a British school in the last few decades will remember learning about the tragic events of the Holocaust from a young age. Whether that was through reading Anne Frank’s Diary, gaining insight into Hitler’s rise to power in Germany through listening to any number of his public speeches within which his antisemitism is obvious, or viewing some extremely graphic photographs of the travesties committed against the Jewish community. Whichever way we learnt; it has been a universal experience for many of us.
Through my role as a Collaborative Research Intern working on the Antisemitism in Post-Migrant Britain project, I have come to learn exactly how important this was, and why it is so important to continually teach young children from all backgrounds about the events of the Holocaust.
Many of us will be all too aware of the rise in blatant antisemitism and Holocaust denial in recent years, 2021 being marked as the highest year on record for violence aimed at the Jewish community since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking in 1979. Anyone choosing to ignore the irrefutable evidence of the crimes committed against the community are making the decision to spread hatred, and one of the most effective ways to avoid such sentiments becoming embedded in the minds of our young people is through Holocaust education.
Through engaging with victim testimonies, viewing artwork created by those trapped within concentration camps, and consistent discussions of how the hatred behind the Holocaust bred so easily, we are teaching our young people to begin to recognise the symptoms in our modern world.
My time as a collaborative intern allowed me to develop my understanding of the education system in the United Kingdom, begin to engage with lesser-known events of the Holocaust, and encouraged my own empathy and knowledge of modern antisemitism. Through visits to the Imperial War Museum and Wiener Holocaust Museum in London I gained further insight into the portrayal of the tragic events of the Holocaust.
I would like to thank both Dr Sara Jones and Sarah Hall for their support throughout the project; the team at the University who made it possible to contribute to such an interesting and important project; as well my fellow interns who encouraged me throughout my time in the role. For anyone considering applying for a similar role within the Collaborative Research Project I would just say, do it! It truly has been an invaluable experience of which I am so thankful I was able to take an active role in.
Charlotte Grace, BA Archaeology and Ancient History