Sir Nicky was 106. Here he is in 2014:
Most of his life, no one knew what he had done--what made him a great person. But in 1988, his wife found a scrap book in their attic, and then the truth began to come out. He was a London stockbroker who learned of a program called Kindertransport to get Jewish children out of Germany and Austria into England. No such program existed in Czechoslovakia, so Nicky started one.
He bribed Nazi officials, and when he couldn't get enough contributions, he gave the money himself. He saved 669 children. The last train with 250 children on it was stopped. The children were never seen again.
When the war ended, few of the children had parents living.
I learned of Sir Nicholas's contribution last year when I watched a documentary called Nicky's Family. Here's what Nicholas Winton looked like during the war:
I watched the documentary on Netflix Streaming. You should watch it, but you might cry.
Anyway, Nicky has gone to the Great Continuum, but he's not forgotten. The children he saved and their descendants now number about six thousand.
Wow. That was hard to write. I hope it makes sense.
Junebug
Another blogger ran a post about Nicholas about three weeks ago. I cried when I learned what he had done. When I saw the news headline that he had died I cried again. This wonderful man will always be remembered.
ReplyDeleteI will tell Mrs. Shady about this documentary and we will watch it together.
Thank you, dear Janie!
It's so moving, Shady. I understand there's also a movie about him and another documentary.
DeleteThank you for sharing this. I will watch it on NetFlix ASAP. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's tragic but beautiful. He saved as many children as he could.
DeleteI learned of his death, as I had learned of his life, via the CANDLES Holocaust Museum here in town. I cried as well... he was someone worth tears. And gratitude.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watched the documentary a couple of years ago, I had no idea he was alive.
DeleteWhat a moving and heart warming story of a wonderful individual.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. He did everything he could.
DeleteThere are some remarkable stories out there Janie. I will look this one up.
ReplyDeleteR
You will like the documentary.
DeletePeople like him remind me that we are capable of great good, even in the face of unbelievable evil. He was just one man.
ReplyDeleteLove your neighbor...and their children.
Just one great man.
DeleteWhat a beautiful man he was!!
ReplyDeleteDidn't he glow?
DeleteI have just heard of this true hero. Sports people are not heroes. People who do beautiful things at great cost to their own life makes a hero and he never spoke about it. I wonder if the 250 children that did not make it weighed on his soul so much. I am surprised he never even told his wife but then, again, it is so personal. I plan to see this documentary. Thank for bringing this forth
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it all weighed on him. I don't think he wanted attention for what he had done.
DeleteI read this on my BBC News Feed.
ReplyDeleteand I did cry. What he had the strength to do.
We should all hope to stand strong in our beliefs, even if they go against the thought of the day, PC and all.
cheers, parnip
I try to stand strong.
DeleteHe's earned his place in Heaven.
ReplyDeleteAww I've heard about this man as well. Will have to check out documentary.
ReplyDeletePrepare to cry.
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