Eighty-five years since the onset of the Kindertransport, the memories of Jewish children who fled their homeland surface in snapshots of their youth: a mother’s teary farewell at a train station, the few possessions they carried in their small hands, and the anxious anticipation of a new life awaiting them in an unfamiliar country.
The Kindertransport, which allowed around 10,000 Jewish children to escape to Britain and other nations before the atrocities of the Holocaust fully unfolded, began after Kristallnacht—an event seen as a significant turning point in Nazi Germany's antisemitic policies. Many of these children, severed from their families and thrust into new realities amidst language barriers and cultural shifts, went on to lead diverse and impactful lives, with a significant number eventually migrating to the United States.
Now, as this critical chapter of history garners increasing recognition, researchers are diligently exploring archives and conducting interviews to capture the stories of the last known survivors. The Kindertransport officially ceased in September 1939, and it is estimated that only a few hundred of its participants are still alive. Given the urgency of preserving these testimonies, seven survivors have chosen to recount their moving experiences, shedding light on resilience amidst adversity.
