“In the Footsteps of Sinti and Roma in Auschwitz-Birkenau”

50 students from Bischof von Lipp School took part in a study visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau May 10th to May 14th 2014. This year, their visit to the Memorial Place was connected with the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the deportation of children from St. Josefspflege Mulfingen to Auschwitz. St. Josefspflege is a Catholic organization, since 1854 engaged in social work for children and students.

On May 9th 1944 a group of 39 children was sent to the Gypsy camp in Auschwitz – Birkenau. The Gypsy Camp (Zigeunerlager) in Birkenau existed until August 2, 1944. On the evening of August 2, approximately 3000 men, women, and children who were still in the camp were loaded onto trucks and driven to the gas chambers.

Since 1988, students with teachers from School Bishop Lipp deal with this dark chapter in German history. They began a project “Education after Auschwitz” in collaboration with the Higher School of Social Sciences in Esslingen, whose aim is learning from the past and learning for the present and the future. This project involves youth in seventh grade who begin preparations for the trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau a year in advance.