We are delighted to launch Their Stories and Ours, a new resource for secondary pupils. Based around the testimony of Scottish second-generation Holocaust survivors, it provides material for teachers to use in the classroom. The resource has been developed following the very positive reception to our Holocaust Memorial Day events for schools, where we invited speakers to talk about their parents’ experiences as Holocaust survivors, and the impact on their own lives.
The aims of the resource are to:
- Tell the stories of Holocaust survivors who made their lives in Scotland.
- Reveal the effects of antisemitism on the lives of the speakers’ parents.
- Show the impact of the Holocaust across generations
Hearing personal testimony about the Holocaust is undoubtedly very impactful. However, with fewer and fewer first-generation survivors, hearing from the second generation gives a powerful connection to testimonies from the Holocaust, with the added layer of being able to reflect on the cross-generational impact. Hearing stories that connect this period with Scotland is very valuable for students, to help make the experience even more relevant to their own lives and experiences.
The resource is being launched using three films that were recorded at out 2025 event. The speakers are Geraldine Shenkin (daughter of Marianne Grant), Judy Russell (daughter of Ernest Levy) and Philip Rodney (son of Peter Rodney/Wolfgang Rimalower). Each video is accompanied by questions for pupils and a glossary of words mentioned in each video. There is also a document of notes for teachers and links to further Scotland-specific resources on the Holocaust.
We plan to add new material to the resource in the future and hope that it will benefit to students or anyone wanting to learn more about the Holocaust and Scotland’s connection to this period. We are very grateful to the speakers who have so generously shared their parents’ experiences, and their own stories, with us.
