Description
Object description
German Jewish schoolchild in Munich, Germany, 1923-1939; on Kindertransport from Germany to GB, 1939; refugee in GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Munich, Germany, 1923-1939: family circumstances; familys' reaction to Adolf Hitler's rise to power; question of how majority of family emigrated aboard and survived the Holocaust; continuing social life; reasons for her family escaping the fate of other Jews of Polish origin in late 1938; changes in father's business; damage to school and synagogue on Kristallnacht; working in old people's home; atmosphere in Jewish community after Kristallnacht. Recollections of Kindertransport from Germany to GB, 1939: story of how father heard about scheme and gained places for her and her brother Theo; criteria for being placed on scheme; departure for GB, 4/1/1939.
REEL 2 Continues: how packing of best clothes gave false impression in GB; question of elitist attitude of German Jews towards Jews of Polish origin; journey to GB via Netherlands. Recollections of period as refugee with foster family in GB, 1939-1945: initial impressions of GB; communications with parents in Germany; character of selection procedure; how brother was selected by foster parents, Vera and Bill Sharp; story of how she joined her brother Theo and younger sister Ingeborg who arrived on Kindertransport, 29/7/1939; reaction of Bill Sharp to sister Ingeborg's red hair; lack of contact with other Kindertransport; contact with parents after war began; rations and social activities.
REEL 3 Continues: Vera Sharp adoption of baby Gloria and how Bertha and Ingeborg had to look after the baby; staying with Auntie Queenie, Vera Sharp's mother during German Air Force attack on Coventry, 14/11/1940-15/11/1940; memories of German Air Force raid on Coventry, 14/11/1940-15/11/1940; relations with Bill Sharp; question of sexual harassment of Kinder by foster parents; Bill Sharp's attempted sexual seduction of Ingeborg; financial exploitation of children; working in textile industry in Delph and kindness of mill girls; story of how Bertha's use of crude language deflated Vera Sharp's social pretensions; work in textile mill; dishonesty of Vera Sharp; pact made by children not to talk about treatment by foster parents. Recollections of arrival of parents in GB, 1/1945: parents' detention on arrival and mother's hunger strike.
REEL 4 Continues: story of how mother got truth about foster parents' treatment; reaction of parents to treatment of children; question of knowledge of neighbours of children situation; move with parents to Birmingham; report on families behaviour by Jewish refugee committee. Recollections of Kindertransport and period as refugee in GB, 1939-1945 including organising reunion and writing book of experiences: bonding with sister Inge brought on by experience; question of inferiority complex due to Kindertransport experience; aim of Kinder to become English; organising Kindertransport reunion in 1989.
REEL 5 Continues: response to appeal for memories of Kindertransport; question of younger Kinders' loss of Jewish roots; egalitarian nature of Kinder; first Kindertransport reunion at Harrow-on-the-Hill, 6/1989; relations with Germans and interest of non-Jewish Germans in Kindertransport story; personal effects of publishing book 'I Came Alone'; question of who is a victim of the Holocaust; guilt of those whose parents survived.
REEL 6 Continues: closeness of Kinder who lived in hostels; contrast in behaviour of foster parents; importance of siblings staying together; contrast between different Kinder nationalities; question of achievements of Kinder; strengthening of Jewish faith whilst refugee; importance of Israel for Jews; question of limitations of British Jewry in aiding Kindertransport; opinion of Refugee Committee of Cambridge; question of placing babies and young children with non-Jewish families; growing public interest in Kindertransport; question of how Kinder often hid their backgrounds from families.