While the Holocaust is remembered rightly as an act of genocide against Europe’s Jewish population, the Nazis also sent close to 250,000 people with disabilities to their deaths.
This grim fact is highlighted by Winchester’s Blue Apple Theatre, whose performers have learning disabilities and have been making a short documentary to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2025, which this year has fallen on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau – January 27th.
Blue Apple, who are artists in residence at the University of Winchester, have been helped by students and staff at the University.
Theatre members recorded voiceovers for the film at the university studios and two third year Film Production students, Hope Lines and Vasili Evangelou, have been editing the documentary.
Historical images have been sourced from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the German Federal Archive and site images from Ken Parry. All other images have been provided by performers at Blue Apple and other similar organisations in the UK and Europe.
Shocking images of the concentration camps are contrasted with modern ones demonstrating that many people learning disabilities today live rich and rewarding lives.
Richard Conlon, Blue Apple’s Artistic Director, said: “It is important to acknowledge this terrible time from history and to remember but we must also recognise that we have moved on.
“We live in much more enlightened times but we shouldn’t assume that will always be the case and we must remain vigilant.”
The film, simply entitled Blue Apple Holocaust Memorial Project, has been sent out to the group’s network of sister organisations across Europe, including Poland the Czech Republic and Belgium – nations which were directly affected by the Holocaust.
Richard Conlon added: “Despite being a small, Winchester-based arts charity, we’re actually engaged in a sort of ongoing international debate about the role of people with a learning disability in civic life. Our film includes images from our friends in the Czech Republic who are asking similar questions.
“Our performers and participants know that those who went before them had bigger challenges to face, but the journey isn’t over. We’ve had conversations about how we can’t take all recent advances for granted – they may not stay forever unless we actively advocate for them.”
Rob Ferrin Programme Leader – Film Production at University of Winchester, said: “We are incredibly proud of the work done by our Film Production students Vasili and Hope, in partnership with the team from Blue Apple Theatre and all the performers involved in the project. To be able to come together in an expression of creative collaboration and mark the 80th anniversary of the events of the Holocaust is an inspiring and emotive achievement for all involved.”
The video is available to watch on YouTube here
Blue Apple have also created an Easy Read companion document which is available to download from their website here.
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