The Holocaust and Wales: Aero Zipp Fasteners at Treforest Trading Estate

Description

Treforest Trading Estate, near Pontypridd, was set up as part of the Special Areas Act of 1934. The Act was created to help parts of Britain with high unemployment, and it offered support to businesses to set up in these areas. When the Nazis began seizing Jewish businesses in Germany in the years after 1933, many Jewish refugees fled here to establish their businesses with help from this scheme.

By May 1940, 55 businesses started by Jewish refugees were running at Treforest. They provided jobs for around 1,800 local people. One of these factories was Aero Zipp Fasteners set up by refugee industrialist Joachim Koppel, a Jewish businessman who spent many years of his life in Berlin until he had to flee. Aero Zipp produced metal zip fasteners. They had their factory at Treforest and their offices in London. During World War 2, like several other Jewish businesses, they contributed to the war effort by making zips for military equipment.

In this resource, students bring the factory to life in a practical and creative way, using soundscape.

This is resource 1 of 2 on the topic of Treforest Trading Estate.

Image above: Advertisement for Aero Zipp Fasteners, 1969. Jewish History Association of South Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig De Cymru (JHASW/CHIDC)

This resource was produced as part of the 'Côf a lithr, llythyrau a geidw: creating Holocaust resources for Welsh schools' partnership project between Centre for the Movement of People (CMOP), Aberystwyth University, and Jewish History Association of South Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig De Cymru (JHASW/CHIDC). The project is kindly supported by the Association of Jewish Refugees, Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust, Jewish Historical Society of England and Garfield Weston Foundation.

Curriculum for Wales

Health and Wellbeing, Humanities, Languages, Literacy and Communication

Age: 9-14 / Progression Step: 3 & 4

Learning Activity Pack

This resource provides learning activities for your students using our website. It is one of two on the topic of Treforest Trading Estate. Here is a link to the other resource in this series:

The Holocaust and Wales: General Paper and Box Manufacturing Company at Treforest Trading Estate

See the Quick Links below for content to accompany this resource.