Janine Webber with the United Under-14s.

Academy youngsters meet Holocaust survivor

Wednesday 13 November 2019 14:10

Holocaust survivor Janine Webber BEM shared her testimony with Manchester United’s Under-14s Academy players and wider club staff last week.

Janine was born in Lwow in Poland in 1932. Initially forced into a ghetto with members of her family, Janine spent the end of the war as a hidden child – first in a convent and then with a family in Krakow.
Janine Webber at the Aon Training Complex.
The event follows increasing efforts between the Holocaust Educational Trust and the Premier League to educate about the Holocaust and the lessons to be learned for today, with survivors speaking to clubs and academies across the country.

The group has been exploring the lives of Jewish people before the Second World War and learning about the life of Eddy Hamel, a Jewish footballer who played for Ajax, and lost his life during the Holocaust. Following the activities, the team are planning how best to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January 2020.

Karen Pollock MBE, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “We are delighted to be working with Manchester United Football Club to give their Academy players and staff the opportunity to hear from a Holocaust survivor.

"Janine Webber’s incredible story will hopefully be something that will always stay with them as they embark on their careers, and an educational lesson they will never forget."

Janine Webber addresses the youngsters and tells her story.
Ian Smithson, United’s Academy education manager said: “It was a real honour for our boys to hear Janine’s unforgettable story. The event forms part of our enrichment programme which aims to expose our young players to a variety of different education projects to broaden their horizons.

“To hear a survivor’s testimony first hand, is an experience that future generations simply will not have, so we are extremely grateful to Janine and the Holocaust Educational Trust for providing us with this fantastic opportunity."

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