IWalk

New digital walking tour released by House of European History: Hidden children, survivors of the Holocaust in Brussels To commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the House of European History has created an ‘IWalk’ tour for people to retrace the Brussels-based lives of child survivors of the Holocaust, in partnership with educators from the USC Shoah Foundation and Zachor Foundation for Social Remembrance in Hungary. The development of this IWalk was funded by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). It was launched for International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2024 and the Holocaust Remembrance Conference 2024 in Brussels, which was organised by the European Commission, with the IHRA and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, based on content created by the House of European History in Brussels. IWalk is a USC Shoah Foundation educational program that provides users with a personalised learning experience at sites of memory around the world. It connects history, physical locations and personal stories of survivors within a pedagogical context and is available via the USC Shoah Foundation IWalk app, freely downloadable from Google Play and Apple Store. The tour brings to life the experiences of four children — Michel, Sonia, Helene and Gilbert — whose families originated from Poland, Hungary and Romania, and were living in the Marolles and Brussels centre areas during the pre-war and occupation periods. These children were separated from their parents and had to evade Nazi persecution during this time in Belgium, often through hiding, concealing their identities, taking on double lives, and support from the underground resistance. Laurence Bragard, formal learning manager at the House of European History: “We developed the tour to bring historical events right up to the present day. You can literally follow in the footsteps of these resilient individuals, who not only survived the Holocaust, but also carried their stories with them through the decades. Their experiences are a testament to human spirit and the enduring legacy of hope.” The tour involves seven stops along a 2.2km route, and lasts approximately 60 minutes, starting on Rue Lenglentier, Marolles, and ending in the Grand Place. It is suitable for adults and students over 14 years old. It features testimony video clips, historical images and biographical texts, combined with the real-world plaques, doors and buildings of today, allowing participants to follow the children’s harrowing journeys.