Holocaust Trip

On November 30, the Swatara 8th graders went to CD Middle with all of the other 8th graders in the district.

With a packed auditorium, the students had about an hour and a half assembly. For the first 45-60 minutes, they had a presentation from a Holocaust survivor, Hilda Mantelmacher. Hilda was a woman who’s whole family did not stay alive. As her years, continued in the concentration camps, it was nothing more than terror. She told the students about life at the beginning of the holocaust, and her experience with concentration camps. She told the students about one of her experiences with a guard and how they betrayed her. It was very devastating to hear about.

For the second part of the presentation, the eighth graders watched a very graphic recording of camera crews at a concentration camp. They saw the disposal of bodies, people who were skin and bones, and how they took care of babies. It was a very graphic video, and some felt very sick after watching this video.

Overall, this experience was life changing. It taught our students to always be kind to others, even if they are different.