On Thursday, June 6, to commemorate the D-Day anniversary - Greenhill School in Tenby welcomed back Mr. Henry Ariel Schachter who first visited the school five years ago to present a testimony of his experiences as a Holocaust survivor.

Born in 1938 in Berlin, Mr. Schachter and his mother had to cross Europe from Poland to escape the Nazis when the war broke out.

After hiding behind a false wall in a Brussels warehouse proved hazardous, due to a young child who might give them away, the family braved living in the open with false identity papers. If they had been recognised as Jewish, it would have meant an immediate end for all of them.

Three year old Ariel Schachter entered a nursery and left a few days later as Henri Deffet, living on false papers and with new grandparents.

The Deffets looked after ‘Henri’ as their own and saved his life. Unfortunately, his parents were not so lucky and perished in the Holocaust.

Mr. Schachter told his story to a large group of Year 8 and 9 history students, who showed exemplary behaviour and great interest. Some of them were brave enough to ask questions afterwards, too! 

Following the talk, Mr. Schachter and his daughter Hope, who had accompanied him, checked on the tree that was planted during his first visit to our school five years ago. It’s doing well! 

“Naturally we were delighted to welcome him back to speak to our next generation of students,” said a spokesperson for Greenhill School.

“Mr. Schachter is an absolute gentleman, and we were so pleased and grateful that he travelled all the way from Bournemouth to visit us once again.

“The importance of educating our students about the Holocaust cannot be underestimated.

“As time passes, the testimony of survivors becomes increasingly confined to history, making this visit all the more special,” they added.