15321c Crocus posters:1 - Holocaust Education Trust of Ireland

3The Crocus Project – A guide for teachersWhy we plant yellow crocusesSadness and HopeWe plant yellow crocuses in memory of one and ahalf million Jewish children and thousands of otherchildren who died in the Holocaust. The yellowcolour of the flowers reminds us of the yellow starthe Jews had to wear under Nazi rule. The flowersremind us of all of the children who perished.Hundreds of thousands of children were murdered bythe Nazis, but many survived. The children whosurvived are mostly grandparents today. They havepassed on their stories to their children andgrandchildren. Their stories must never be forgotten.We must tell them to our own children.When the crocuses bloom at the beginning of spring,we remember the children who died. But thebeautiful flowers also remind us that, even after themost terrible events, new life begins again and we canhope that things will be better than they were before.The flowers remind us that there is still beauty in theworld and hope for our future. Planting the flowers issad, but it is hopeful too.Hanna Lethrer, Munichreproduced by kind permission ofYad VashemCrocuses in bloom planted bypupils in Kilkenny School Project,Springfields, Kilkenny, IrelandEventually we hope that children from all over theworld will plant yellow crocuses in memory of all ofthe children who died in the Holocaust.Jewish family in the Budapest ghetto, 1944 reproduced by kind permission of Yad VashemOnline Crocus Club www.hetireland.org/crocus