The Holocaust and Wales

The Holocaust and Wales is a new podcast which explores how the Holocaust impacted Wales. The Holocaust was one of the defining moments of the twentieth century, and its effects were felt throughout the world, including in Wales. Refugees from Central Europe fled to Wales seeking sanctuary, as did Holocaust survivors attempting to rebuild their lives in subsequent years. Welsh soldiers and nurses were among the first to witness the horrors of the Nazi camps when they were liberated at the end of the Second World War.

In this podcast, we look at the stories of those who fled from Nazi tyranny to build better lives for themselves and their families, and hear about the loved ones they had to leave behind. We learn how they have contributed to Welsh life – culturally, economically, and politically. The Holocaust did not just happen to other people in another place and time – it is part of all of our history.

The podcast has been created as part of Holocaust Resources Wales, a project between the Centre for the Movement of People (CMOP) at Aberystwyth University and the Jewish History Association of South Wales (JHASW), and sponsored by The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR). The voices you will hear are those of survivors, or their children, recorded as part of oral history interviews taken by CMOP, the JHASW, and Imperial War Museums. It can be used to supplement learning about the Holocaust in schools from Progression Step 4 and beyond.

To access our resources for teaching about the Holocaust and Wales, suitable for Progression Steps 3 and 4, go to https://www.peoplescollection.wales/learn/query/holocaust

The podcast is also available to listen to on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4QdFJmSumrAzaCHTZE6b8H

Introduction 

This trailer introduces the podcast and examines how we think about the Holocaust and its relationship to Wales. The podcast has been created as part of Holocaust Resources Wales, a project between the Centre for the Movement of People (CMOP) at Aberystwyth University and the Jewish History Association of South Wales (JHASW), and sponsored by The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR).  

Episode 1: Life in Europe before the War

In this first episode, we look at Jewish life in Central Europe before the Second World War. The stories we will hear are those of refugees who fled to Wales in the 1930s. What were their lives like before they left? How did this change over the course of the decade? And what was the spark – the writing on the wall – that prompted them to flee?  

Episode 2: Leaving Home

In this second episode, we look at the perilous journeys taken by refugees to get to Wales. How did they leave Central Europe? What barriers did they face? And how was their journey into the unknown?  

Episode 3: Life in Wales during the War

In this third episode, we look at how refugees adapted to their new lives in Wales. How did the local community welcome them? What challenges, and opportunities, did they face? And how did their status change as the war progressed?  

Episode 4: Liberation and Loss

In this final episode, we look at tales of liberation, and of loss. We hear how Jewish refugees came to Wales to train as they prepared to liberate Continental Europe. We listen to Welsh servicemen who witnessed the horrors of the concentration camps. And we learn about survivors who managed to live through one of the darkest periods in human history and ultimately find a home in Wales.   

CONTENT WARNING – contains descriptions of death and concentration camps that some listeners might find distressing.