PUPILS at Malmesbury School were given a first-hand account of the cold brutality of the Holocaust recently.

More than 200 year nine pupils attended a talk at the school from Holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper.

The talk was organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) and gave the youngsters an insight into the extent of the horrors of the Nazi regime.

The testimony was followed by a question and answer session to enable students to better understand the nature of the Holocaust and to explore its lessons in more depth.

Ellie Chisholm, a year nine pupil at Malmesbury School, said: “I would like to thank Ziggy for his inspiring story and passion for peace.

“I now realise that learning about the Holocaust is very important.

“It tells us that however bad things get, you still have to keep fighting and it teaches future generations to always believe in yourself and to make the world a peaceful place.”

Harvey Freer, head of humanities at Malmesbury School, said: “It was a real privilege to once again welcome Zigi Shipper back to Malmesbury School.

“It was an inspiring and thought provoking morning which really engaged the students.

“A special thanks to our fantastic year 12 students who assisted the smooth organisation of the day by preparing and teaching an introductory lesson beforehand.”

Karen Pollock MBE, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “The Holocaust Educational Trust educates and engages students from across the UK, from all communities about the Holocaust and there can be no better way than through the first-hand testimony of a survivor.

“Zigi’s story is one of tremendous courage during horrific circumstances and by hearing his testimony, students have the opportunity to learn where prejudice and racism can ultimately lead.”

For more information on the Holocaust Educational Trust visit het.org.uk