Lady Victoria Starmer visits HET’s ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ in first public engagement since leaving Downing Street

Lady Victoria Starmer emphasised the importance of Holocaust education on Monday afternoon when she met students taking part in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s “Lessons from Auschwitz” project. In her first solo public engagement since leaving Downing Street, Lady Starmer addressed 175 students aged 16–18 from south London schools who will travel to Poland with HET next week. Recalling the impact of her first visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau as a young woman, she said: “My visits have been some of the most incredible and thought-provoking moments of my life.”

Lady Starmer, who is Jewish, explained that she had relatives who were victims of the Nazi regime and had seen their names in the book recording the millions of Jews murdered during the Holocaust. Her grandparents fled rising antisemitism in Poland before the First World War; decades later, the family members who stayed were killed by the Nazis. She also reflected on a visit to the camp last year with her husband, then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, when an exhibition depicting Jewish life in pre-war Europe had particularly affected her.

“Sometimes what you think will move you can be different to what you expect.” She said the display, which included people playing musical instruments and getting married, had moved her so deeply that she had to leave the exhibition. At the time of the Starmer’s January 2025 visit, she said it was “no less harrowing than the first time she stepped through that gate.” 17/01/2025. Auschwitz, Poland. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria Starmer visit Auschwitz.

Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing StreetSimon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street Although she has no official role with the HET, Lady Starmer is a strong supporter of its work educating teenagers about the Holocaust. Earlier this year, she hosted a reception for HET ambassadors at 10 Downing Street. On Monday, Lady Starmer urged students to take what they learn at Auschwitz-Birkenau back into their communities, become HET ambassadors and stand against antisemitism.

“I'm so glad that the Holocaust educational class runs programmes for young people to keep alive the memory and legacy of the Holocaust. “And you, every one of you sitting here today, is part of that next generation; you're the courageous young ambassadors who are going to stand up for Holocaust remembrance and against antisemitism.” The students also heard first-hand testimony from Holocaust survivor Steven Frank BEM, 91. Introduced by Lady Starmer, Frank recalled how the German invasion and occupation of the Netherlands in 1940 changed his life forever.

What had been a “happy and contented family” shattered when Frank was just five years old. His father, Leonard, who was a lawyer and involved in the Dutch Resistance, was arrested and later murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Frank survived Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands and Theresienstadt in German-occupied Czechoslovakia with his mother and two brothers. Students sat in silence as he recalled being mauled by an Alsatian at one of the camps and that one fellow prisoner taught him how to preen tomato plants.

Now, Frank says when he attends to his greenhouse, he remembers that victim of the Shoah. Pupils from south London asked for a photograph with Lady Starmer and Steven Frank after hearing testimony from the Holocaust survivor (TheJC)[Missing Credit] HET has enabled more than 50,000 students and teachers from across the UK to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. Its chief executive, Karen Pollock CBE, welcomed Lady Starmer’s continued support. “Lady Starmer has always championed our work.

Having previously hosted our young Ambassadors at 10 Downing Street, she knows the value of the next generation’s firm knowledge and immense courage to carry the legacy of the Holocaust and to speak out against anti-Jewish hatred today,” she said. “I am sure her words left our students inspired before they head off on what will be an impactful visit.”