Le Train des 1000. À la rencontre de la Mémoire. Classe de 5TQbc

Le Train des 1000. À la rencontre de la Mémoire.
Classe de 5TQbc
Notre projet a commencé à voir le jour tout doucement.
Il a débuté avec nos échanges au cours d’allemand à partir d’un extrait du Journal
d’Anne Frank et de la bande dessinée « The Search » créée par le Musée Anne Frank à
Amsterdam (cours d'anglais) retraçant les évènements majeurs de la seconde guerre
mondiale.
Puis, suite à une proposition de Vinciane Bodson de la Fondation MERCI, nous avons
décidé de tenter l’aventure du « TRAIN DES 1000 » organisée par l'Institut des
Vétérans - Institut National des Invalides de Guerre et dont notre contact principal est
Sandra Leuwer.
Nous nous sommes donc rendus le 29 janvier 2015 à Breendonk et à Mechelen, première
étape officielle du projet du « TRAIN DES 1000 » où nous avons passé une très belle
journée, la visite étant guidée par Monsieur Michel Leriche, un ancien militaire, qui nous
accompagnera aussi à Auschwitz. Emilie Poncin et Rémy Pierlot de la Fondation MERCI
nous accompagnaient ce jour-là, ils font maintenant partie du « groupe » et iront avec
nous à Auschwitz.
Le lundi 30 mars 2015 après-midi, nous recevrons à l'école la visite de 2 représentants
de l'Institut des Vétérans - Institut National des Invalides de Guerre qui nous
présenteront sous forme de power-point l'exposition réalisée sur « Déportation et
Génocide », ils désirent d'ailleurs pouvoir saisir l'occasion de discuter avec les élèves.
Le mardi 31 mars, nous regarderons ensemble le film de Spielberg, la « Liste de
Schindler » (en version anglaise avec sous-titres en français:) ; nous verrons à Cracovie
l’usine de Schindler, où a d’ailleurs été tournée une partie du film de Spielberg). Ensuite,
Rémy Pierlot viendra nous expliquer l’historique d’Auschwitz sous forme de power-point.
La dernière étape sera notre voyage à Auschwitz. Nous allons aussi le préparer au cours
d’anglais, en faisant des recherches sur les pays que nous traverserons, les lieux que
nous visiterons et les hôtels qui nous accueilleront. Nous espérons que cette expérience
nous rendra tous plus forts et plus ouverts.
Voici quelques commentaires sur notre visite à Breendonk et Mechelen :
Breendonk was used as a prison camp by the Nazis during World War II.
I was emotionaly affected on our way back. What happpened then is unthinkable. I think
it's important to know how it was. Guillaume
We first visited the fort of Breendonk. It was very cold inside. I remember some
stories told by our guide, Mr Leriche. For example, the camp commandant’s dog killed
two persons. If the prisoners wanted to live, they had to understand what the guards
said in German. Lévi.
I also remember that the prisoners had to stay outside in the cold and that if they
moved they were beaten up. After the war, some prisoners said that the conditions of
living in camps were better than in Breendonk.
I have found this visit very interesting but I don't have any emotions yet, that's why
I'm very excited to go to Auschwitz. Laura
Unfortunately I was not able to go for health reasons. I had the flu. I didn't like to
stay at home. Romain
I was really disappointed not to be able to go, I was sick. I'm looking forward to visiting
Auschwitz. I think it's really interesting to go there at least once in your life. You can
better imagine what the prisoners have experienced. In addition, there are still
survivors today. We’ll certainly meet some of them. Even staying 25 hours on a train
does not frighten me, because you can meet new people on a train. Lisa
The Kazern Dossin is now a museum on Jewish history. There was a big white wall with
pictures of Jews when we arrived, we sat down in front of it and we saw a short
documentary . Only some of the Jews came out alive from the concentration camps.
That was an interesting visit. We learned a lot about World War II. I think that this
part of our History is very sad and that what happened then is not human. Clémence
It took us 3 hours’ by train and 15 minutes’ by bus to get to the fort.
Then, we visited the Kazern Dossin. There is a yard in the middle of the Casern - that’s
where the prisoners were gathered before getting on the train to a concentration camp
- and all the buildings around the yard have been renovated and are inhabited today.
On our way back, I kept thinking about what our guide had told us…… Wendy
I don't understand how one can hurt other people like that. The prisoners slept in
horrible conditions and were badly treated, I don't know how they could live like that. I
am really interested in speaking of war. However, I am afraid of discovering Auschwitz…
Mélanie
I think the project is very interesting for all of us (pupils). Indeed, in a few years,
Auschwitz might be different from today chiefly because the camp survivors might
have disappeared. That's why my generetion must know what happened to all those
murdered and tortured people. Staying in the train for 25 hours with many students is
interesting because we'll be able to imagine a little how life in the train was for all the
deported. Kévin
The second story (told by our guide) is about the 12 prisoners chosen by the SS to get
information from them . They didn't say anything because they just didn't know
anything . So they died for nothing.
When we came back home, I thought all the time about this day in Mechelen because it
shocked me. It's important to know what happened there and remember all these people
who died for nothing. This day in Mechelen was very interesting and I'll remember it
for ever ! Marine
It was a very cold and cloudy day. It was sunny by moments but the wind was the
coldest I'd ever felt….. We started the visit from the outside of the fort. The guide
showed a picture of Officer Schmitt, his dog Lump and some of his « colleagues ». The
guide was very kind and he told things as if he had been living them. Very nice trip.
Serdar.
They (the prisoners) worked hard, e.g. they had to remove tons of earth. They couldn't
do normal things, like going to the toilet or drinking, etc... They had one bed for several
of them and it was made with some uncomfortable stuff. Several prisoners were
tortured in the night. The nazis enjoyed torturing prisoners.
I wish everybody could understand the horror of all this so that it doesn’t happen again.
Edouard
Life was difficult for the prisoners there (in Breendonk), they all suffered a lot,
received almost no food, slept on paillasse, had no time to wash…… They had to work
outside in all weathers and if they didn’t follow the orders, they were severely
punished. Many prisoners died there.
I have learnt many things on that day. Now I know how the Jews were treated by the
Nazis, like slaves. Chloé
Train des 1000 vers Auschwitz-Birkenau - mai 2015
Durant l’année scolaire 2014-2015, l’Institut des Vétérans-INIG, la FIR et l’ASBL Mémoire d’Auschwitz
proposent un parcours éducationnel autour de la Shoah et de la Mémoire. Le temps fort de ce projet
sera un voyage de cinq jours, avec 1 000 jeunes Européens, de Bruxelles vers Cracovie et la visite du
camp de concentration et d’extermination d’Auschwitz-Birkenau. Le voyage se passera à bord d’un
train spécial : Le Train des 1 000.
Sous le Haut Patronage de Sa Majesté le Roi
Train des 1000. À la rencontre de la Mémoire
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Préparation : Pendant un an, les jeunes participants vont se préparer avec leurs professeurs à la
visite d’Auschwitz. Ils visiteront le camp de Breendonk et la Caserne Dossin de Malines, ainsi que
l’exposition « Déportation et Génocide, une tragédie européenne ». De nombreuses discussions en
classe seront consacrées à la Shoah et aux génocides, sans oublier les victimes roms.
1 000 Jeunes : Le Train des 1 000 rassemble environ 700 jeunes Belges ainsi que des jeunes
d’autres pays. Lors de l’édition précédente, nous avons accueilli 300 jeunes issus de 13 pays
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européens. Les contacts internationaux entre participants sont vivement encouragés !
Le voyage en train : Le train partira de Bruxelles et fera arrêt dans différentes stations pour y
embarquer au fur et à mesure les participants. Nous arriverons à Cracovie avec les 1 000 après 25
heures de trajet. Un tel voyage en train revêt une symbolique évidente.
Auschwitz et Auschwitz-Birkenau : Pendant notre séjour à Cracovie, nous visiterons le camp
d’Auschwitz-Birkenau en compagnie des derniers survivants. Le 8 mai, au cours d’une cérémonie
internationale, nous commémorerons la victoire de la démocratie sur l’Allemagne nazie.
Institut des Vétérans-INIG, la FIR et l’ASBL Mémoire d’Auschwitz