Sir Nicholas George Winton MBE (born Wertheim; 19 May 1909 – 1 July 2015) was a British humanitarian who organized the rescue of 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia on Kindertransport. Winton found homes for the children and arranged for their safe passage to Britain. Shortly before Christmas 1938, Winton was planning to travel to Switzerland for a skiing holiday. He decided instead to visit Prague and assist Martin Blake, who was in Prague as an associate of the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia, with Jewish welfare work. After Kristallnacht in November 1938, the House of Commons approved a measure to allow the entry into Britain of refugees younger than 17, provided they had a place to stay and a warranty of £50 was deposited for their eventual return to their own country. Winton ultimately found homes in Britain for 669 children, many of whose parents would perish in the Auschwitz concentration camp. His mother worked with him to place the children in homes and later hostels;. Throughout the summer of 1939, he placed photographs of the children in Picture Post seeking families to accept them. The last group of 250 children, scheduled to leave Prague on 1 September 1939, were unable to depart. With Hitler's invasion of Poland on the same day, the Second World War began. Of the children due to leave on that train, only two survived the war. The world found out about Winton's work only in 1988. The British press dubbed him the"British Schindler" Eva Heller was born in Usti, Czechoslovakia in 1927. She and her family moved to Prague after the Anschluss. Through the Barbican Mission and Sir Nicholas Winton, Eva and her brother Holger went to England on Kindertransport in January 1939. Meanwhile, her father Ewald reached Peru, and her mother managed to flee to England. Eventually, Eva and Holger joined their father in Peru. Eva now lives in Peru with her husband. Holger lives in Sao Paolo, Brazil with his family. Holger Heller was born in Usti, Czechoslovakia. He moved to Prague with his family after the Anschluss. Through the Barbican Mission and Sir Nicholas Winton, Holger and his sister Eva went to England on Kindertransport in January 1939, and eventually to Peru. Holger lives in Sao Paolo, Brazil with his family. Renate Fried was born in 1925 in Karlovy Vary. Through the Barbican Mission and Sir Nicholas Winton, she and her sister Eva went to England on Kindertransport in January 1939. She married John Ornea, a GI, in 1947, and now lives with her family in California. Eva Fried was born in 1928 in Karlovy Vary. Through the Barbican Mission and Sir Nicholas Winton, she and her sister Renate went to England on Kindertransport in January 1939. She married Manfred Somers (Sondheim) and now lives with her family in England. Gerti Pfeffer was born in 1927 in Karlovy Vary. Through the Barbican Mission and Sir Nicholas Winton, she went to England on Kindertransport in January 1939. She married Henry Vorgang and now lives with her family in California. Through the Barbican Mission and Sir Nicholas Winton, Hansi Beck went to England on Kindertransport in January 1939. She died in England in 1940.
See biographical notes for more information about the persons identified in this footage in February 2018. See also textual records in USHMM files that include related newspaper articles, press releases, and cameraman's dope sheets. Refer to the documentary by Czech television released in 2018 at https://english.radio.cz/new-doc-uncovers-mission-saved-scores-jewish-children-8170810?fbclid=IwAR3TpRzD5MB6I5wlW8PnYbq9dzcrb9XlIq2ydPaFeUuFTZXICsSh_-MmeQ0
At Ruzyn airport in Prague, Jewish children preparing to board plane for London on a transport organized by the Barbican Mission to the Jews, a Christian organization that aimed at rescuing and converting these children (upon their parent´s agreement). Boy holds hands of 2 sisters. Small group of children wave to camera. INTs, boy with kerchief and an elderly woman. CUs, children on a bus.Little girl, Hansi Beck, with knitted hat. Children of various ages, including Eva Heller, Holger Heller, Eva Fried, Renate Fried, Gertie Pfeffer, and Hansi Beck, board the plane. Pan of KLM airplane. Parents gathered on the airfield for farewells. CUs, families and children at the airport. 01:02:50 Eva Heller and her father, Ewald, and brother Holger. The Jewish children wave; the parents wave handkerchiefs. Mother hugs and kisses child. 01:03:29 Sir Nicholas Winton, an organizer, in glasses, smiles and holds the child, Hansi Beck. Pilot. Crowd at airport. From Cameraman's Caption Sheet:"Today on the aerodrome of Ruzyn nearly 30 children of refugees took leave of their parents. Two Dutch Douglas airplanes brought them to Rotterdam and from there to London. This is the charitable work of the Barbican Mission of London, under direction of Rev. Wallner. He intends to give 60 children all together a new home in London where they will remain till their 18th year. The youngest of these children is only two and a half years old, the eldest one 11 years old. The leave-taking was grievous. Nobody was untouched seeing the tears of the remaining parents who will not see again their children for many long years. Before starting the pilot said: 'Never my life I have had such a responsibility. My Lord -- 30 children!' Five hours later I get the news that the airplanes are well landed in London"
Jewish children leave Prague