A SPECIAL VISIT - Ernst-Reuter-Schule 1
A SPECIAL VISIT - Ernst-Reuter-Schule 1
A SPECIAL VISIT - Ernst-Reuter-Schule 1
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A <strong>SPECIAL</strong> <strong>VISIT</strong><br />
Raihanna Yasin<br />
On Thursday the 29 th of May wethe<br />
English advance course of the<br />
12 th grade- expected a really<br />
impressing visit of a refugee of the<br />
holocaust during the Second<br />
World War. We were excited to<br />
get to know a true life story of an<br />
eyewitness from this cruel<br />
historical period.<br />
Jahrbuch 2008<br />
When Benjamin Hirsch and his family, consisting of his wife, his daughter and his<br />
granddaughter, entered the room, we were surprised by the vital outward<br />
appearance of Mister Hirsch.<br />
In our last English lessons, we had<br />
collected a lot of interview questions,<br />
for which we really expected<br />
answers. Then he started to talk<br />
about his new life in the U.S.A.,<br />
about his return to Germany, about<br />
his family and the massive problems<br />
of being Jewish during the nationalsocialist<br />
regime in Germany. We<br />
were outraged and felt very touched<br />
when we heard about how he left Germany on a Kindertransport train to Paris<br />
together with his four siblings not knowing that he never would see his parents again<br />
whom he lost in Auschwitz.<br />
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Jahrbuch 2008<br />
When he talked about his arrival in the U.S.A. Mister Hirsch mentioned that he was<br />
called “the animal alien”, which shocked us even more. But he did also amuse us by<br />
telling stories about hilarious and good times in his manifold life<br />
together with his now big family. Every student in the class was absolutely fascinated<br />
and speechless, because he had a great sense of humour although he had lost parts<br />
of his family in Auschwitz.<br />
He recommended his two books, “a different drummer” and his second and more<br />
detailed book “Home is where you find it” warmly to us. The two of them are<br />
achievements, which helped him to handle his destiny. Then we divided the class<br />
into four groups, so that we could have individual conversations with each of our<br />
guests. His daughter and his granddaughter had come from Israel to join him here in<br />
Frankfurt.<br />
It was a unique and special<br />
experience to have the<br />
opportunity to talk<br />
intensively and personally<br />
with a brave and sincere<br />
Jewish family. They live<br />
their Jewish traditions and<br />
could tell us a lot about<br />
orthodox Jewish lifestyle<br />
which we found interesting.<br />
It was touching to see how<br />
we could reduce their prejudices of Germany. All in all it was a gorgeous and<br />
attractive event, which was really worth the effort.<br />
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Jahrbuch 2008<br />
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