Kindertransport

Every time Tisha b'Av rolls around, I seek out a meaningful, poignant book I can read while my fellow congregants and I drone on mindlessly with the Kinnot, while also passing their perfunctory inspections to make sure the material is on their nosyface level. This book fit the bill very well, and gave me a good, brief background on the Kindertransport, which is important for me to know about, because my wife's grandfather survived through this means. The book is written with a child's wonder, in the author's old age, which makes sense, because the POV of such traumas usually remain fixed in time, and told as such. Books like these are important, for they take the fuzzy, overwhelming, giant death statistics, and turn them into singular, show more human stories, which is known as the reason for Anne Frank's diary success. Turns out the author was one of the relatively lucky ones, in a world of abject horror. show less

Every time Tisha b'Av rolls around, I seek out a meaningful, poignant book I can read while my fellow congregants and I drone on mindlessly with the Kinnot, while also passing their perfunctory inspections to make sure the material is on their nosyface level. This book fit the bill very well, and gave me a good, brief background on the Kindertransport, which is important for me to know about, because my wife's grandfather survived through this means. The book is written with a child's wonder, in the author's old age, which makes sense, because the POV of such traumas usually remain fixed in time, and told as such. Books like these are important, for they take the fuzzy, overwhelming, giant death statistics, and turn them into singular, show more human stories, which is known as the reason for Anne Frank's diary success. Turns out the author was one of the relatively lucky ones, in a world of abject horror. show less

After Kristallnacht, it became more and more obvious that Hitler meant business. His business was the elimination of Jews. One month from that terrifying event, a rescue of children was hastily orchestrated by Jews, Quakers and Christians.

From the first Kindertransport on 12/1/38 through the last on 9/1/1939, miraculously 10,000 children were taken from Germany and transported to England.

Sorely missing their parents and entering a new country with little or no concept of the English language, these children were accepted into the homes of strangers whose purpose was to help save their culture and their lives. Most children were treated well, some were not.

Most children (9,000) were never reunited with their parents, some were show more exceedingly fortunate to see their parents again.

Olga Levy Drucker tells her story as seen through the eyes of young child. In a moving, yet undramatic manner, Olga chronicles her eventual understanding that her family, friends and all Jewish people were in grave danger.

Waving goodbye to her grandmother, she takes the long journey to England where, barely adjusting, she is moved from one home to another. Finally when finding a level of comfort and acceptance from a large loving English family, she receives word that her parents survived and are safe in New York, NY.

Highly recommended! show less

Olga Levy Drucker was one of teh thousand children who were rescued from Nazi Germany. They were sent across the ocean to safety. From the beginning descriptions in the book, one can tell that Olga's parents had money. Then enter Hitler. Jews everywhere lost their rights. Many lost their lives. This book is the true story of Olga's survival and the hardships she faced. It is a story of perseverance and hope. I am glad this is one of the books listed on our curriculum's reading circle list. I will highly recommend it. Maybe some of my students will look into this fascinating event that saved so many lives.

Prior to the beginning of World War II, a heroic effort was made to transport as many Jewish children as possible out of Germany. these efforts rescued over 10,000 Jewish children. Ollie's mother made arrangements for her eleven year old daughter to join the kindertransport and reach safety in England. Unable to speak English, Ollie is shuffled from home to home until at the age of 16 she leaves school to work for a family of seven. This is a touching memoir, which brings Ollie and her existence to life. Although her circumstances weren't perfect, she was able to survive and even thrive in a new country.

A good, but sometimes sad holocaust story. Agood read for girls who enjoy historical realistic fiction

"Mama and I climbed aboard. I waved to Papa until he was only a tiny speck in the distance. The train turned the curve, and he was gone.
The powerful autobiographical account of a young girls' struggle as a Jewish refugee in England from 1939-1945.