The Holocaust and Wales: General Paper and Box Manufacturing Company 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.

This resource explores the experiences of the Schoenmann family, who ran a cigarette paper and box factory at Treforest.

Image above: The wall plaque for the General Paper & Box Manufacturing Company in Treforest Trading Estate, 1941. Image: Jewish History Association of South Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig De Cymru (JHASW/CHIDC). Image courtesy of George Schoenmann.

The resource contains:

I. Guidelines for Teachers:

- What are the purpose, learning aims, and focus of the resource?
- What skills, knowledge and experience does the resource help develop?
- How does the resource support learning in local (cynefin), national and international contexts?
- Background information about Treforest Trading Estate.
- Ideas and questions.
- Links to research and further information.

II. Information Sheet and Activities for Learners:

- Information about Treforest Trading Estate.
- Suggested activities.

This resource was initially produced in 2021/22 as part of the 'Côf a lithr, llythyrau a geidw: creating Holocaust resources for Welsh schools' partnership project between the Centre for the Movement of People (CMOP), Aberystwyth University, and the Jewish History Association of South Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig De Cymru (JHASW/CHIDC). The work was kindly supported by the Association of Jewish Refugees, Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust, Jewish Historical Society of England and Garfield Weston Foundation.

It was amended to suit the Curriculum for Wales requirements in 2024 by the Jewish History Association of South Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig De Cymru (JHASW/CHIDC) thanks to a grant from the Association of Jewish Refugees and Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust.

Curriculum for Wales

Expressive Arts, Health and Well-being, Humanities, Languages, Literacy and Communication

Age: 9-14 / Progression Steps: 3 and 4

Learning Activity Pack

This is one of two resources on the topic of Jewish refugee businesses at Treforest Trading Estate and one of 20 resources about the Holocaust and Wales. Here is a link to the other resource in this series: 

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

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