“Why would anyone be so cruel? I can't answer why they were so cruel. I only know that they were,” recalls Viola Stern Fisherová in the book Mengele's Girl, which documentary maker Veronika Homolová Tóthová adapted. An answer to this question is hard to find. How is it possible that such an unbelievable number of people died only because they belonged to the “wrong” category? Where did those who decided their fate find the conviction that they were the right ones? And what did those who carried out their orders every day think about it? How could people become mere numbers? The questions could go on.
Even more important than finding answers to them, though, is that we try to do something so that nothing like it ever happens again. It is essential that awareness of the Holocaust spreads among primary school pupils and secondary school students too. Pôjd Education Centre in Spišská Belá has therefore in cooperation with the Holocaust Museum in Sereď organised a series of lectures during which ninth-year pupils of J. M. Petzval Primary School (ZŠ Petzvala) and Štefánik Primary School in Spišská Belá and students of the J. A. Baťa Polytechnic Secondary School in Svit learned more about topics such as the persecution of Jews during the era of the Slovak State, labour camps and centres for Jews, or escapes from death camps. Nor did they avoid learning what, during the Holocaust, children were exposed to.
Sometimes, however, the “education” of adults is even more important than educating children. Even if we paid attention in history lessons, we sometimes succumb to the illusion that the events of history do not actually concern us.
The theatre adaptation of the book mentioned at the beginning, which was brought to light by RAMAGU Theatre from Spišská Stará Ves, takes us back to cruel reality. Viola Stern Fischerová survived four concentration camps. Instead of going for walks with her first love, Mengele subjected her to his experiments. She was one of the few who survived. And she shared her story. The least we can do is pass this story on. So that history does not repeat itself.
The monodrama Mengele's Girl won the main prize for best drama for 2021 at the nationwide festival of amateur adult theatre Belopotocký Mikuláš. They also took home several awards from the regional Scénická žatva 2021 in the categories best music, best stage design and best production in the category modern art trends. 115 people watched it at the 20th jubilee performance in the Spišská Belá town cinema hall. We hope it will keep spreading and conveying its messages to as many people as possible.
The monodrama Mengele's Girl won the main prize for best drama for 2021 at the nationwide festival of amateur theatre for adults, Belopotocký Mikuláš. They also took home several awards from the regional Scénická žatva 2021 in the categories best music, best stage design and best production in the category modern art trends. 115 people watched it at the 20th jubilee performance in the Spišská Belá town cinema hall. We hope it will keep spreading and conveying its messages to as many people as possible.
