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Holocaust survivor speaks at Ulidia Integrated College05/06/2009
Holocaust survivor Rudi Oppenheimer spoke at Ulidia Integrated College in Carrickfergus last week about his experience of living in concentration camps during the Second World War, interred with thousands of other Jews.
When he was still only a child, Rudi was forcibly transported to Westerbork, a camp in the Netherlands. His family had moved to Amsterdam from Germany in 1936 to escape Hitler’s regime but their lives were shattered in 1940 when the Nazis invaded Holland and began to persecute the Jewish population.
After spending seven months in Westerbork, the Oppenheimers were transported to Bergen-Belsen, a much larger and more heavily guarded concentration camp in Germany.
Eventually Rudi, his brother Paul and sister Eve would end up being held by the Nazis on a train as hostages while the Allied troops advanced through Europe during the last days of the war. On 23 April 1945, the Soviet army finally liberated them.
Along with both his siblings, Rudi therefore survived until the end of the terrible war but many other Jews did not, including his parents. In total it is thought up to six million were killed by the Nazis who sought to eventually control all of Europe
Now 77 years old, Rudi still often speaks publicly about his experiences, ensuring no one forgets the terrible significance of the holocaust or fails to learn from it.
Teacher Rosie McKee helped to organise his talk at Ulidia, she said: “We decided to open the event up to the whole community given its huge importance and over 450 people turned up.
“On the night we were selling copies of Paul Oppenheimer’s book, From Belsen to Buckingham Palace, and they all went which shows just how interested the audience were in learning more after hearing Rudi speak. In fact, we’re still taking orders for copies.
“Rudi was an excellent speaker, clearly he wants to make the holocaust is always remembered and ensure that people realise the terrible places where unchecked prejudice and hatred can eventually lead.
“The school had been interested in hearing him speak ever since a group of sixth form students took part in a programme called Lessons from Auschwitz, which brings pupils to Poland’s most infamous concentration camp.
"Unfortunately, this eduactional scheme is no longer open to Northern Ireland which is a terrible shame given that Rudi’s talk proved the amount of interest young people here still have in the subject.
“Still, we’re all very glad to have at least had the privilege of Rudi’s presence at our school.”
