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Pupils from RMS were granted a profound privilege yesterday when author Wendy Holden and Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke BEM visited the school to share an extraordinary story of resilience, courage, and survival. Having visited RMS on previous occasions, their talk is always immensely well-received, and this visit was no exception.
A Powerful Morning in the Resource Centre
Best-selling author Wendy Holden introduced the pupils to her acclaimed 2015 book, Born Survivors: Three Young Mothers and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage, Defiance and Hope. The book documents the harrowing yet inspirational accounts of three young Jewish mothers who hid their pregnancies under the horrifying gaze of Nazi persecutors, enduring the atrocities of ghettoes, Auschwitz, and forced labour camps against all odds.
Following Wendy’s presentation, pupils listened as Eva Clarke shared her story first-hand. Eva is one of the three babies whose miraculous births are chronicled in Holden’s book.
Born on 29th April 1945 on a coal cart at the gates of the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, Eva arrived in the world weighing barely three pounds. Her mother, Anka Bergman, had weighed less than 35 kilograms and managed to conceal her pregnancy through years of imprisonment in Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and a German armaments factory. Just six days after Eva was born, Mauthausen was liberated by American troops.
Listening to Eva detail her mother’s courage and her own incredible start in life gave our pupils a deeply moving opportunity to engage with living history. Eva, who was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for her dedicated work with the Holocaust Educational Trust, reminded students of the importance of standing up against prejudice, racism, and hatred in today’s world.
Bringing History to the Wider Community
The visit extended beyond the classroom in the evening, as RMS hosted a special community presentation in the New Mark Hall. Members of the local community, parents, and staff gathered to hear Wendy and Eva speak about Born Survivors and reflect on the enduring lessons of the Holocaust. Organised in partnership with Chorleywood Bookshop, the event also offered attendees the opportunity to purchase signed copies of Born Survivors on the day.
The event left a powerful impression on all who attended, offering a reminder of the power of human resilience in the face of immense tragedy and the vital importance of keeping these historical voices alive for generations to come.