The Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Medical Students who went to help at Bergen-Belsen in May 1945

Speaker: Professor Stephen Challacombe PhD, FRCPath, FMedSci DSc FKC, Martin Rushton Professor of Oral Medicine, King's College London and President of the RSM History of Medicine Society

 

In May 1945, 95 medical students from the London Hospitals including 34 from Guy's, St Thomas' and King's College Hospital answered the call for volunteers to help at Belsen. The Relief of Belsen showed how doctors, nurses, and medical students struggled to save life and dignity amid gross physical horror. The camp at Belsen presented a humanitarian disaster of colossal proportions. The four weeks they spent at the camp tested both their medical skills and their personal stamina to an unimaginable degree. All were affected long term by their experiences. They made a huge contribution which deserves to be remembered by all of us. This is their story.