Matej Mináč

No matter how much time has passed, we are always surprised AND delighted when one more ‘Holocaust Survivor’ comes forward with a personal story. "Nicholas Winton’s Lottery of Life" is the documentary on Sir Nicholas Winton, a British citizen who literally saved the lives of nearly 700 Czechoslovakian Jewish children from the clutches of Hitler’s Nazis.

The true story begins in 1938 when Winton was 29 years old, single, and working for the London Stock Exchange. He and a friend show more decided to vacation in Prague and stumbled across several refuge camps. He decided then and there to help rescue as many children as possible. Winton never sought recognition for his valiant achievement, and most of the children whom he rescued never even knew the name of the man who saved them.

It wasn’t until recently, when Matej Minac discovered some old documents buried in the archives of a library that the heroic actions of Winton were internationally recognized. Minac located Winton- now 90 years old- living outside London and this is his story.

"Nicholas Winton’s Lottery of Life" weaves together Minac’s story, Winton’s story, and interviews with several of the children survivors who, through Minac’s efforts, managed to meet with Winton for the first time. The book also includes many vintage photographs contributed from the survivors, as well as snapshots of their families today.

A section of the book is dedicated to details regarding the documentary film of this story plus additional films about Winton. And because the book is being used as a school text, there are several pages listing topics for classroom discussions and information about the Educational Project. For the casual or pleasure reader, the book may appear to be too much like an impersonal, segmented and categorized reference book. But "Nicholas Winton’s Lottery of Life" bears valuable information. The last of the Holocaust survivors are reaching old age and sadly, may not be around too much longer to tell their stories. Books like "Nicholas Winton’s Lottery of Life" keep the story of the Holocaust alive. They remind us that the horrors of World War II were real and give warning to those who put blind faith in government leaders. This book in particular, is a great example of how the caring generosity of just one person can make so much difference to so many people. show less

It is 1939 and Europe is on the brink of war. Hitler has invaded Czechoslovakia, threatening the lives of the Jewish population. Nicholas Winton, a young British stockbroker, decides he will do everything possible to save the lives of as many Jewish children as he can. This film, transmitting on Holocaust Memorial Day, tells the extraordinary story of how Nicholas Winton rescued 669 children from the clutches of the Nazis, bringing them by train to Britain.

In order to provide a degree of show more credibility with both the British and Nazi governments of the day, Nicholas single-handedly established the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia - Children's Section, using it to obtain passports and visas for the children. He then organised for each child to be adopted by families throughout the country and their safe passage across Europe and into Britain.

For nearly fifty years, Nicholas told no-one of his heroic deeds. His incredible story might never have come to light were it not for his wife who, fifty years later, found a suitcase in the attic containing a remarkable scrapbook full of documents and transport plans.

The story then emerged in 1988 when the BBC's That's Life programme reunited over two dozen of his 'children' with their rescuer for the first time in a highly emotional broadcast. (fonte: BBC) show less

A gripping documentary about the courage and determination of a young English stockbroker who saved the lives of 669 children. Between March 13 and August 2, 1939, Nicholas Winton organized 8 transports to take children from Prague to new homes in Great Britain, and kept quiet about it until his wife discovered a scrapbook documenting his unique mission in 1988. Winton was a successful 29-year-old stockbroker in London who "had an intuition" about the fate of the Jews when he visited Prague show more in 1939. He quietly but decisively got down to the business of saving lives. We learn how only two countries, Sweden and Britain, answered his call to harbor the young refugees; how documents had to be forged and how once foster parents signed for the children on delivery, that was the last he saw of them. (fonte: National Center for Jewish Film) show less

Filmy uznávaného režiséra Mateje Mináče proslavily příběh záchrany 669 dětí sirem Nicholasem Wintonem během 2. světové války. Jeho nejnovější film je o osudu dítěte, které nemělo to štěstí dostat se včas do bezpečí jedním z Wintonových vlaků. Tím dítětem je jeho vlastní matka, dnes čtyřiaosmdesátiletá energická fotografka Zuzana Mináčová, jež patří k předním osobnostem slovenské a české fotografie. Vystavovala v třiceti zemích a slavné show more jsou zejména její fotografie ze světa filmu. Za jejím věčným úsměvem by málokdo čekal trauma z děsivých zážitků z dětství, které ji celý život nedovolilo klidně spát. Proto se její syn rozhodl natočit film, který by jí umožnil smířit se s minulostí a její tíhu ze sebe dostat. Tím, že bude vzpomínat a vyprávět. Vzal ji na cestu do míst, kde jako třináctiletá zažila něco, na co si přála celá léta zapomenout. Je to bolestná cesta časem, na které se Zuzana Mináčová nejen vrací do temné doby plné úzkosti, ale také vypráví s humorem sobě vlastním o historických přemetech typických pro dvacáté století. O demokracii, fašismu i bolševismu, o svých cestách na filmové festivaly a zážitcích s jeho hvězdami. A jestli se jejímu synovi podařilo zbavit ji stínů minulosti, na to si každý sám odpoví po shlédnutí filmu. (Česká televize) show less