Description
Object description
German Jewish schoolchild emigrated on Kindertransport from Germany to GB, 1939; refugee in Welford-on-Avon and Birmingham, GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Chemnitz and Erzgebirge, Germany, 1927-1939: family and details of Chemnitz; work of father; visits to grandparents in Berlin; religion; family home including return in 1993; education including experiences of anti-Semitism; effects of 1935 Nuremburg Laws on family; examples of increasing persecution; father's escape to Netherlands; period in Erzgebirge with mother; details of father's business and attempts to emigrate; expulsion from school and subsequent education; story of learning about and volunteering for Kindertransport; story of meeting Prince Charles; preparations for departure; story of departure from Leipzig, 2/2/1939.
REEL 2 Continues: details of cousins living in GB; provisions made for accommodation of children on arrival in GB. Aspects of period as German Jewish refugee in Warwickshire, GB, 1939-1945: details of White family; pros and cons of having a sponsor; learning of English; treatment from customs officials at Dutch-German border including items taken to GB; reception from Dutch civilians; voyage across North Sea; reception on arrival in Harwich; reactions on arrival in GB; sorting in and collection from Toynbee Hall; night in hotel; journey to Welford-on-Avon; reception on arrival; education; changes to life; reactions to outbreak of war; further details of education; problems with kidney; arrival of parents in GB including work gained; accommodation with mother in Birmingham; hospitalisation with kidney problem and education in Birmingham including help gained from Jewish Refugee Committee.
REEL 3 Continues: experiences of Birmingham Blitz; number of homes lived in, 1939-1949; details of move into hostel with mother; further education; visit to London and gaining of first job, 1946; story of letter written to Home Secretary Sir John Anderson and results; reunion with father and move to Moseley; father's status after return from internment on Isle of Man; father's experiences in Germany before escape to Netherlands; hopes for reunion with family in Germany; story of newsreel about Bergen-Belsen concentration camp; fate of grandparents; reactions to Holocaust; family; story of return to Chemnitz in 1993.
REEL 4 Continues: visit to Jewish cemetery in Chemnitz; events during Kristallnacht, 9-10/11/1938, in Chemnitz; problems faced following Kristallnacht; effects of experience on parenting; talking about experiences.
REEL 5 Continues: Details of items donated to Imperial War Museum: leather wallet; Siamese kitten puppet; memento of Kindertransport; drawing made in Erzebirge, 13/11/1938; stories of photographs; memories of grandparents; geometry set; suitcase and items brought in it to GB; prayer book; reasons for donating items to Imperial War Museum.