This past week, the Norwich High School for Girls community came together for a series of events to observe Holocaust Memorial Day 2026. Through virtual reality, personal testimony, music and civic services, students across the Senior School and Sixth Form engaged with this year’s theme: ‘Bridging Generations.’

The 2026 theme serves as a vital call to action, reminding us that the responsibility of remembrance does not end with survivors; it lives on through their descendants and through all of us. By listening and learning, our students have spent the week building a bridge between history and a hopeful future.

The week’s formal commemorations opened with a powerful evening event featuring prominent speakers from the Norwich Jewish community and Dr Marc Fachinger from Frankfurt, Director of Projekt Zeitzeugen (Project Eyewitnesses).

The evening focused on the personal rather than the abstract. Marian Prinsley, Deputy Lieutenant, shared the story of her family’s Sabbath candleholders – precious items rescued during their flight. Rabbi Roderick Young read aloud the names of family members who vanished, mentioning the Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) that now mark their former homes. Linda Albin, Chair of the Liberal Synagogue, moved the audience with a necklace bearing the number tattooed onto her relative Rachel’s arm at Auschwitz.

The passing of stories was symbolised by the passing of Memorial Stones, created by our own students, from one generation to the next.

This assembly was an abridged version of the evening event, putting our students’ stories at the heart of the commemoration. The act of ‘Bridging Generations’ was conducted again by members of staff representing the adult generation passing on the memorial stones to the student generation. The Statement of Commitment was then read out like a sworn testimony to remember and to be vigilant.

Throughout the week, the L1 Memorial Room served as a space for commemoration. Visitors saw a wall with photographs and names of victims being read out as music played. The purpose was to ensure photographs transform into living memories in the generations to come.

“I felt that the assembly and memorial hall in L1 were entirely moving and emotionally gripping, the discussion we held in our class was also very eye-opening and I thought that our whole class felt the sentiment deeply.” – Year 11 Student

“I thought the assembly was very interesting, and the Memorial Room was very impactful” – Year 7 Student

“The L1 Memorial Hall I felt touched by, and was able to learn a lot about the Holocaust. Overall, I felt that the week was very informative and thought-provoking” – Year 10 student

On Wednesday, students gathered for a screening of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. The film provided a poignant way for students to explore the tragedy of the concentration camps through a child’s perspective.