Nicholas Winton’s Rescue Mission

Sir Nicholas Winton was an extraordinary humanitarian, known for organizing a rescue operation that saved the lives of 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II. His story is not only one of remarkable bravery but also of humility, as his heroic actions remained largely unknown for many years.

Born in London in 1909, Winton was a young stockbroker when he planned a skiing holiday in Switzerland in December 1938. However, a friend convinced him to visit Prague instead, to help with Jewish refugee work. The situation in Czechoslovakia was dire, with the impending threat of Nazi invasion, and many Jewish families were desperate to get their children to safety.

Moved by the plight of these families, Winton decided to act. He set up an office at a dining room table in his hotel in Prague and began organizing a rescue effort. This was an arduous task, as it involved not only finding British families willing to take in the children but also navigating the bureaucratic challenges of getting them out of Czechoslovakia and into Britain.

Winton worked with a sense of urgency, knowing that time was running out. He managed to arrange for eight trains to carry children from Prague to London. The first train left on March 14, 1939, with the last train scheduled to depart on September 1, 1939. Unfortunately, that train never left, as Germany invaded Poland that day, and all borders controlled by Germany were closed. Of the 250 children scheduled to be on that train, only two survived the war.

The children saved by Winton’s operation, now known as “Winton’s children,” were placed with British families and in hostels. Many were the only members of their families who survived the Holocaust.

Remarkably, Winton’s heroic efforts remained largely unrecognized for many years. It wasn’t until 1988, when his wife found a scrapbook in their attic with lists of the children and letters from their parents, that his story came to light. He was subsequently invited to the BBC television program “That’s Life!” where he was reunited with some of the people he had saved.

For his extraordinary efforts, Winton received numerous accolades, including a knighthood in 2002. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 106, leaving behind a legacy of selflessness and compassion. His story is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on the lives of many.