KINDERTRANSPORT
WHAT IS THE KINDER-TRANSPORT?
​​
-
The Kindertransport was the movement of German, Polish, Czechoslovakian and Austrian Jewish children to England before the outbreak of World War II.
THE JOURNEY
LIFE AFTER THE KINDER-TRANSPORT
​FIRST TRAINS
-
BERLIN - 1 December 1938
-
VIENA - 10 December 1938
-
PRAGUE - March 1939
-
transports from Prague were hastily organised
-
-
Expelled German Jewish children in Poland were also arranged in February and August 1939
LAST TRAINS
-
GERMANY - 1 September 1939 (the day the German army invaded Poland and triggered the start of WW2)
-
NETHERLANDS - 14 May 1940 (the day the Dutch army surrendered to Germany)- The last known Kinder-transport
​
ARRIVING IN ENGLAND
-
After the transports arrived in Harwich, children with sponsors went to London to meet their foster families.
-
Children without sponsors were housed in a summer camp in Dovercourt Bay and in other facilities until individual families agreed to care for them or until hostels could be organiSed to care for larger groups of children.
After the war ended many of the children stayed in Britain or emigrated to the newly formed state of Israel, America, Canada or Australia. Most of the children had been orphaned since leaving their homes, losing their families in the ghettos or camps they had escaped.
​​
-
Many Kinder-transport children became citizens of Great Britain, or emigrated to Israel, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Most of them would never again see their parents, who were murdered during the Holocaust.
​​
-
Those over age 14 who lacked sponsors or who had not been fostered or sent to boarding schools often underwent a short course of training and joined the British labour force, usually performing domestic service or agricultural work.
-
Upon reaching age 18, some of the children took up arms against Nazi Germany by volunteering for the British or Australian military.
REQUIREMENTS OF KINDERTRANSPORT
-
Every child had a guarantee of £50 to finance their eventual re-emigration. It was assumed at the time that the danger was temporary, and the children would return to their families when it was safe. Adult family members could not accompany the children
​
-
It was understood at the time that when the “crisis was over,” the children would return to their families. Parents or guardians could not accompany the children. The few infants included in the program were cared for by other children on their transport.
​
-
Most importantly, the program was supported, publicised and encouraged by the British Government, which waived some immigration requirements.
​
-
They generally favored children whose emigration was urgent because their parents were in concentration camps or were no longer able to support them. They also gave priority to homeless children and orphans.