YEAR 10 students at Marymount College, Burleigh Waters, have discovered it’s one thing to read a book about survivors of World War II’s Holocaust but quite another to hear a first-hand account.
Margaret Goldman visited the college recently and spoke to students about her early life and struggles during the Holocaust.
Alister Curtain said it was an absolute honour for him and other Year 10s to hear Mrs Goldman recount her story.
“As a woman of a Jewish faith, Mrs Goldman hid in an attic for two years and seven months, hiding from the German Army, when she was just 12 years of age,” he said.
He said he and fellow Year 10 students were touched by her strength and determination.
“The one thing she wanted youths to remember was to ‘never give up’.
“I will never forget these words, and when times are hard, remember the inspiring story of a courageous teenager.”
Bronte Mossop said Marymount students were lucky to live in a place where such things as the Holocaust did not happen.
“Learning about the events of the Holocaust in a book is one thing but to actually meet someone who was there and have them share their experiences with you makes it seem so much more real,” she said.
“We are so lucky to be in a place where this doesn’t happen and we are free to live our lives without hiding to stay safe.”
Isaabella Van Der Meer and Tom Lock said they were in complete awe of what Mrs Goldman had gone through.
“For over forty minutes our eyes opened up so much to the surreal and unbelievable story of a truly remarkable and strong woman who had survived the Holocaust, Hitler and the Nazi regime,” they wrote.
“Many of us had read ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ in Year 8, however it felt more realistic and meaningful meeting a survivor and hearing her talk about her family, and going into hiding.
“It surely won’t be a story forgotten anytime soon – not ever.”
