A letter that originates from history and critical thinking.

Tomás Insignares Botero, a student from Klasse 9 at the Deutsche Schule Medellín (German School Medellín), was selected as a finalist in the first edition of the literary competition ‘Von Anne Frank bis heute’ (From Anne Frank to Today), an international initiative that promotes critical reflection on discrimination through writing. His letter, inspired by the testimony of child victims of the Holocaust, was one of 21 selected from 117 texts from 19 German schools in Latin America.

The competition, organised by the Network of German School Libraries Abroad, invited students in grades 7 to 12 to write a letter based on the life and legacy of Anne Frank. Beyond the writing exercise, the aim was to foster empathy, critical thinking and historical awareness in the younger generation.

“At first, I was going to write from the perspective of an adult” says Tomás. “But when I started writing about the children, I realised it had to be a child. I deleted everything and started again”. The change in perspective was key, the letter is written as if it were signed by a Jewish child separated from his mother after getting off a train, a scene based on real events that Tomás learned about during his classes. “Everything I write is conceived from the perspective of a child. I did a lot of research on what they went through. I watched documentaries and read many stories”.

The letter came about as part of an academic activity, later, Tomás decided to submit it to the competition. “We had a religion assignment on the Holocaust, and I took the opportunity to create something more profound” he says. For him this experience connects with the comprehensive education he has received since childhood. “At school they teach us to put ourselves in other people's shoes, to be respectful, to think outside the box. That helped me a lot with my writing. They also teach us to treat these issues with respect, without mockery or inappropriate comments. I think that has a lot to do with what it means to be citizens of the world, learning since primary school to have empathy and respect for others”.

He also highlights the importance of critical thinking. “For example, we are currently working on a book in class, and we are always being told, “Don't just stick to the basics, think about different versions, investigate further”. That helped me understand that a story can be told in many ways, and that every decision implies a stance”.

Despite his interest in history and his love of writing, Tomás is clear that his vocation lies elsewhere, he wants to study aerospace engineering. Even so, he values this experience as a tool that will serve him well throughout his life.

Tomás' achievement reflects the educational approach of the Deutsche Schule Medellín (German School Medellín), where life skills, empathy and the ability to analyse the world in depth are cultivated.

If you would like to learn more about our educational approach and how we prepare students to be global citizens, we invite you to visit our admissions section at www.dsmedellin.edu.co