The Princess Royal has paid tribute to the founder of an independent boarding school who fled his home country of Germany to escape the Holocaust.
Gordonstoun founder Kurt Hahn, a German Jew, fled his homeland to Moray in 1933 after speaking out about the Nazis’ rise to power.
He would soon settle in Moray and founded the school in 1934 – where the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was one of the first students.
On Sunday, a plaque by the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) was unveiled at a special service at the school, also marking Holocaust Memorial Day.
Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) second generation member Michael Flesch unveiled the plaque.
He was a student at Gordonstoun, and his father was at Salem School in Southern Germany, where Mr Hahn was headmaster before fleeing to Scotland.
In a letter, the Princess Royal said: “This plaque will be a permanent monument, informing students, teachers and visitors of Kurt Hahn’s bravery and accomplishments.
“It will serve as a reminder of how it came to be that Hahn came here to Gordonstoun, and also serves as a warning of what happens when a society succumbs to the dangers of indifference in the face of extremism and racial hatred.
“My late father, the Duke of Edinburgh, thrived during his time here and counted Kurt Hahn as a personal friend, having already benefited from his wisdom in the formative years in Germany.
“I am sure that he would have deeply approved of this unveiling.”
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex. It also marks the 30th anniversary of the Bosnian genocide.
Gordonstoun Principal Peter Green said: “Our founder Kurt Hahn showed immense courage in publicly standing up to the Nazi party in the face of extreme adversity.
“Without his selfless determination, Gordonstoun would not exist today. We owe Hahn an eternal debt of gratitude for his vision in setting up a school with an educational philosophy focused on service and compassion.
“Hahn was ahead of his time in his thinking and today his memory lives on through the achievements of our wonderful students with their passion and instinct to help others, whether it’s in the local community or further afield.
“Today’s plaque unveiling will serve as an everlasting tribute to Hahn and his impact on education around the globe. This was a fitting initiative by the AJR which Gordonstoun is proud to support.”
First Minister John Swinney said in a letter to the AJR: “The atrocities inflicted upon the Jewish people during the Holocaust remain one of darkest periods of human history, but it is the bravery of individuals such as Mr Hahn that can inspire the rest of us to stand in solidarity against forces which seek to target the most vulnerable members of our society.”
AJR Trustee, Frank Harding MBE, who devised the AJR plaque scheme, added: “It is our great pleasure to unveil our latest commemorative plaque, this time to honour the pioneering and visionary educationalist Kurt Hahn.
“The AJR is deeply honoured that this initiative has attracted the support of Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal and the First Minister of Scotland.
“Having been briefly imprisoned as both a Jew and a notable and prominent outspoken critic of the Nazi regime, Kurt Hahn fled to Britain in 1933.
“He brought with him the ethos and values he inculcated at Salem in Germany and which have enabled Gordonstoun to burnish its international reputation as a leading and inspiring institution of learning.”
The special service recognising the achievements of Mr Hahn was supported by Interfaith Scotland.
Maureen Sier, director of Interfaith Scotland, said: “It is always a great honour for Interfaith Scotland to support Holocaust Memorial Day and to remember the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.
“The theme this year for Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘for a better future’ and so it is significant to be attending a commemoration at Gordonstoun School, a school founded by Kurt Hahn, a survivor of the Nazi regime who dedicated his life to supporting young people to build a better future for everyone.
“The plaque for Kurt was to be unveiled by Holocaust survivor, Kathy Hagler, who sadly passed away last year, and so as we remember Kathy we also remember all those who suffered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.”
