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“Auschwitz in literature” — The Contest has finished
The educational project “Auschwitz in Literature” has come to an end. Its participants had been the students of the Powiatowy Zespoł Szkół Ekonomiczno-Gastronomicznych [The County Economic and Gastronomical Schools] Number 4 in Oświęcim.
The project began in October of 2010. In November, the theater group “Scaena” came to Oświęcim, which included among its cast students from the Piotr Skarga High School in Grojec, the Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński Public High School in Jasieniec, and the Julian Suski Public Primary School in Jasieniec.The young people, together with students from Oświęcim, visited the site of the former Auschwitz Concentration and Death Camp, the town of Oświęcim, took part in educational workshops at the Oświęcim Synagogue, and watched a screening of the film “Uciekinier”, about former Auschwitz prisoner — KazimierzPiechowski. Next, the theater group presented the play, “Remember my Name”, which told the history of Concentration Camp prisoners and in which certain scenes were intertwined with songs about the War as well as pantomime.
Around the end of November, the International Center for Education, organized a meeting with former Auschwitz prisoner Batsheva Dagan, author of books and material used in Holocaust education: What Happened in the Shoah? A Story in Rhyme for Children Who Wish to Know”, „Czika, the Dog in the Ghetto”, “If the Stars Could Only Speak”, and “Today the Siren Cried for Me”.The participants, among who were also students from the District Secondary Schools, heard a lecture by Batsheva Dagan about how to pass knowledge about he Holocaust to children. The author also spoke about her experiences in the Concentration Camps and the reflection of this in her literary work. The students took part in the workshop sessions, which were held in the national exhibits in the Museum as well as in lectures that presented the history of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and Holocaust.
During the workshops dedicated to the analysis of Batsheva Dagan’s poetry, the students learned about the methods used in writing analysis, its place in the literary world, its construction, and the goals of such endeavors. The last part of project “Auschwitz in Literature,” was the contest to for the best analysis of Batsheva Dagan’s collection of poetry, entitled,“Imagination: Blessed Be, Cursed Be!”.The analysis that won the first prize was included in the July issue of the monthly magazine “Oś”, which is published by the Museum.
Winners of the Contest:
- Patrycja Piotrowska — First Place
- Olga Kołacz — Second Place
- Marta Kubas — Third Place
- Katarzyna Piotrowska — Special Mention
