Humanities Students Visit Historical City of Krakow

Humanities students at Cronton Sixth Form recently returned from an exciting and educational three day trip to the history rich city of Krakow, Poland.
Accompanied by humanities tutors Jonny Evans and Joanie Low, the group visited significant sites and explored the town of Krakow itself, sampling traditional Polish food and shopping at the local markets.
The group visited the the Wieliczka Salt Mine, travelling down the wooden staircase of 378 steps to view fantastic sights carved from salt, including stunning chapels, statues, and an underground lake.
They then took part in the Oscar Schindler Factory tour where the group learned the incredible story of the factory worker who saved more than 1,000 lives during the Second World War. They also gained an understanding of what Krakow was like under Nazi occupation.

The group also visited the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, where an estimated 1.1 million people were murdered during the Holocaust. The students learned the horrors of the camp, viewing first-hand the remaining gas chambers and the museum containing prisoner hair, suitcases and prosthetic limbs piled high.
The trip left a lasting impression on the students, with some describing the journey as “inspirational” and “unforgettable”.
Students also took part in activities such as a ‘breakout’ game where students had an hour to crack various codes and solve puzzles to escape a room.

Humanities tutor Jonny Evans commented, “Words cannot describe the enormity or the horror that the Jewish population experienced in Europe at the hands of the Nazi regime. Visiting Auschwitz was an experience which students are unlikely to forget, but it was also a superb way to contextualise topics covered in Humanities subjects.
“Myself and Joanie wish to thank all the students for their outstanding behaviour. They made it a trip never to forget, and even though there was a 04:00 and 05:00 start to the days, it was well worth the adventure.”