Merentia Schwartz CTHGC

Merentia’s story

My name is Merentia Schwartz and I am doing a one year Internship at the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre, in order to obtain my diploma in Tourism Management which I studied at South Cape College, Oudtshoorn campus in the Western Cape.

I mostly grew up in a small town named Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape. Mthatha is a focal point of the Nelson Mandela Route which celebrates the life of the late Nelson Mandela. Mthatha derives its name from the nearby Mthatha river which was named after the Sneezewood trees, famous for their wood and medical properties. Growing up in such a town I was exposed to different cultures and learned to speak Isixhosa which is the town’s official language.

Studying Tourism, the history of the Holocaust was briefly touched in one of my main subjects named Tourist Destinations. Although it was not spoken about in depth I realised its importance in world history. Mainly concepts such as democracy, dictatorship, propaganda, resistance and genocide.

The Holocaust was a defining event in the history of humanity that shook the foundations of civilization and transformed international politics and justice. It showed me the dangers of hatred and discrimination. The possessions of victims and memorials showing their lineage made it clear to me the impact of the genocide still persists to this day. The Holocaust is one event that I will forever see as fixed and objective.