Quakers and Kindertransport
Sitting unobtrusively in the Friends House courtyard, a simple, symbolic sculpture pays a quiet tribute to an important – yet largely untold – episode in recent Quaker history: the role of the Society in rescuing almost 10,000 children from Nazi Europe before the Second World War.
After the Kristallnacht in November 1938, Jewish groups turned to the Quakers for help.
Friends – including Bertha Bracey, to whom the Friends House statue is dedicated – were instrumental in convincing the UK government to relax immigration rules for Jewish children, and in arranging a massive rescue operation. Quakers helped Jewish children onto the trains, and greeted them on arrival in Britain. Thousands of the children were housed by Quaker families.
On 1 December 2009 – seventy years since the first train departed Berlin – we commemorated the achievements of these ordinary Quakers during extraordinary times. Sharing stories and experiences, we learned about the sadness and the inspiration of what happened, to celebrate the lives of those who survived and remember those who did not, and to pay tribute to the efforts of the rescuers.
All who had a connection to the Kindertransport were welcome to contact us for an invitation. Even if you couldn’t attend, we would welcome your story for possible inclusion in our commemorative online exhibition. For details,
Contact:
Jez Smith
020 7663 1117
