News
Twenty-six learners from across Dudley Academies Trust’s four secondary schools took part in a powerful history trip to Poland, visiting Kraków and several significant sites linked to the Holocaust and the Second World War.
The visit gave learners the opportunity to deepen their understanding of this important period in history through first-hand educational experiences at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, the Galicia Jewish Museum and Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory.
During the visit, learners visited both sites of Auschwitz, taking time to reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust and the importance of remembrance. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum preserves the site of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp, where more than 1.1 million men, women and children lost their lives. A particularly moving moment came when one learner read a poem at the memorial, paying tribute to the millions of lives lost and helping to ensure their stories are never forgotten.
The group also visited the Galicia Jewish Museum, where they took part in a question-and-answer session with a family member of someone who lived through the Holocaust. The museum exists to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and celebrate the Jewish culture of Polish Galicia, helping visitors reflect on history, memory and the future.
Learners also spent time in Kraków Old Town Square before finishing the day with a three-course meal in a local restaurant, providing time to reflect together on what they had seen and learned.
In addition, the group visited Wawel Castle and walked around its historic grounds before continuing to Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory. The museum’s permanent exhibition, “Kraków under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945”, explores life in the city during the Second World War and the role Oskar Schindler played in helping more than 1,000 Jewish people survive the Holocaust by employing them in his factory.
The trip was a meaningful and memorable experience for learners across the Trust, supporting their classroom learning while encouraging empathy, reflection and respect. It also reflected one of Dudley Academies Trust’s core values, Respecting each other and our world, by helping learners understand the importance of compassion, remembrance and standing against hatred. The visit highlighted the importance of continuing to learn from the past and ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are passed on to future generations.
Thank you to our Director of History, Harry and all the staff involved in organising such an unforgettable trip.
