THEY fled Nazi Germany and occupied Europe for a new life in Scotland.

Now the experiences of three young refugees will be used to help today's children learn the 200-year-old story of Scotland's Jewish community.

Beautiful Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow now hosts the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre (SJHC), which launched today.

The unique site is seven years in the making and unravels the contributions made to Scotland over years of migration.

Displays also explore the period from 1933 to the 1950s when Scotland responded to events in Nazi Germany and took in a number of refugees, including children.

Holocaust-era refugee collections will be used in interactive learning kits for visiting school pupils. These follow the experiences of Dorrith Sim, Ernst Marchand and Hilda Goldwag, all of whom fled Nazi Germany and occupied Europe for a new life in Scotland before the outbreak of the Second World War. 

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Students will reflect on wider issues of citizenship, democracy, persecution and belonging, through the refugees’ experiences.

Susan Hodgins, daughter of Dorrith Sim, commented: "The new Heritage Centre is about learning and understanding. My mother’s raison d’être was to make sure that people never forgot about the experiences of the refugees. The displays are not just about Judaism, they’re about people, about life."

The centre has been backed by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Edinburgh, which contributed to capital costs.

Dr Andreas Zimmer, German Consul General in Scotland, said: "We must challenge distortion and denial of the Holocaust. I am very pleased that the German Consulate General Edinburgh could contribute to the excellent and important project, the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre incorporating the Scottish Holocaust-era Study Centre.

"If we take our responsibility seriously, we owe it to the victims and to ourselves to openly and honestly face our past and to prevent discrimination, antisemitism and hate crimes today."

The centre is a partnership project between the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre (SJAC), Garnethill Synagogue Preservation Trust (GSPT) alongside Garnethill Hebrew Congregation, all based in Garnethill Synagogue.

Major building restoration and renovation has also taken place in the Category A-listed building to improve access and regular public tours will take place.

Booking and other information is available at www.sjhc.org.uk.

The National:

Kerry Patterson, SJHC manager, said: "The Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre is an important resource for Scotland. 

"By enabling greater access to the collections and encouraging an understanding of the history of Jewish immigration and the contributions of the Jewish community to Scottish life, we hope to contribute to furthering equality and diversity and promoting inclusion."

Susan Siegel, chair of Garnethill Synagogue Preservation Trust, added: "The centre brings into focus fascinating stories about people associated with Garnethill Synagogue, who contributed so much towards the modern city of Glasgow."