SEC: Mengele´s girl

In our school, within the framework of Erasmus + projects, we also deal with topics related to the fight against discrimination, xenophobia, we strive to reduce prejudices and we support cooperation and friendships of young people from European countries. Nowadays, it is very important. The Erasmus + program gives us the space for inclusion, the promotion of active citizenship, equal opportunities and cooperation with regional organizations.

On March 1st 2022 we invited the Independent Cultural Center RAMAGU from Spišská Stará Ves to Sliač. It is a group of people who have children's performances, comedy for adults but also more demanding dramatic genres in their repertoire. They came to introduce us in the monodrama Mengele's girl, with whom they became the winners of the National Festival of Non-Professional Adult Theater, BELOPOTOCKÝ MIKULÁŠ.

"The theatrical monodrama depicts the true story of a young woman who survived four concentration camps. She was one of the prisoners in Auschwitz who had to undergo pseudo-medical experiments. The young girl, Viola, lives in Lučenec her life full of hope and life energy at a time when everything is destroyed by the war. The family bond, the hope for love, the desire for education and the joys of everyday life only become memories that will replace the bare struggle for life. As soon as she arrives in Auschwitz, Josef Mengele selects her as a group of female prisoners on whom Nazi doctors will perform experiments. ”(www.ramagu.sk)

The Slovak writer Veronika Homolová Tóthová elaborated the story of Viola into the novel. Our eighth and ninth graders talked about the book in history lessons and then went to see the performance. Their reactions were very positive. The performance was educational for them. They commented appreciatively on how the actress Simona Marhefková learned so much text and played the whole monodrama very professionally. They liked that, despite the sad and difficult times, there were also positive moments in the play - love, friendship, humanity and especially the desire for freedom and hope for better times. They were also interested in the construction of the stage and the sound and light effects that completed the overall impression.

We believe that such atrocities will never be repeated in people's lives, and we thank the Ramagu Theatre for a great cultural experience in this digital and difficult time.