Summary of an article published in the local newspaper

Märkische Oderzeitung on Wednesday,

September 27th, 2006-11-01

“ I don`t have to tell anything “

3 students and 1 teacher of the Friedrichsgymnasium in Frankfurt ( Oder ) visit the former Jewish student Hermann Arndt in the south of England

The visit is part of this year`s topic of the Building Bridges Project `` Taking responsibility – when do people become active? `` Together with schools in Frankfurt, Polish students and their partners from Israel and Palestine students want to investigate the lives of famous inhabitants of Frankfurt such as Schuschu Simon, Franz Gumpert and Hermann Arndt.

Interviewing Hermann Arndt was the first step and the students learned a lot of interesting facts of Hermann Arndt`s life and his memories.

Born 1921 as the son of a Jewish lawyer he attended the Friedrichsgymnasium until he had to leave Germany in 1938. He went to Palestine and lateron he became a member of Israel`s secret service.

After a warm welcome the `Frankfurter ` talk intensively and also  have a look at Hermann Arndt`s fotographies which help to illustrate  his memories from his life in a Kibbuz or during World War II.

The students also interview Hermann Arndt`s wife,Val, who remembers their joint visits to Frankfurt ( Oder ) very well.

Promising to come back soon the small delegation leaves with lots of information and a film.

Now  the group wants to focus on Hermann Arndt`s fellow students, Franz Gumpert and Schuschu Simon, who both died in concentration camps.

Their relatives, who live in Israel, should be interviewed as well when the Building Bridges group goes to Israel in January.

The partners from Israel have already been invited for 2007. Apart from  biographies the group also wants to deal with the Jewish cemetry in Slibice.

Though Friedrichsgymnasium is being closed the Building Bridges Project is still active.