Holocaust survivor has powerful story

Susi Bechhofer and her twin sister were rescued from Nazi Germany during the Kindertransport operation after the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

The three-year-old, whose mother was a Jewish domestic servant and father was a member of the Nazi Party, were taken to Britain and adopted by a Baptist minister and his wife and brought up believing she was their biological daughter. Susi has now re-established her connections with her real family and spends much of her time speaking to pupils in the hope to educate them against prejudice. She gave her testimony to year 9 pupils during a ‘Super Learning Day’ at Lillington Free Church recently.

Joy Mitchell, head of North Leamington, said: “It was a privilege for us to welcome Susi Bechhofer to our school and her testimony will remain a powerful reminder of the horrors so many experienced.

“We are grateful to the Holocaust Educational Trust for co-ordinating the visit and we hope that by hearing Susi’s testimony it will encourage our students to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust and make a positive difference in their own lives.”

The testimony was followed by presentation by sixth formers Emily Smith Young and Tillie Gilbert, who visited Auschwitz.