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04/04/2018
Escape to Shanghai
AJR member Dr Karl Bettleheim gave an interview to the BBC World Service recently talking about his flight to Shanghai to escape Nazi oppression. The interview was conducted to coincide with the release of a documentary entitled Above the Drowning Sea. Dr Bettleheim also spoke at the premiere of the documentary.
26/03/2018
Frank Meisler
The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Frank Meisler, the sculptor who designed and manufactured the series of iconic statues in dedication to the Kindertransport, including the monument at Liverpool Street station that was co-commissioned by the AJR and World Jewish Relief. Frank was born in Danzig in 1925 and arrived in England on one of the last Kindertransports, in August 1939. He learnt, after the war, that his parents had been murdered in the Holocaust. Leading the tributes was Frank's friend, fellow Kind and Chairman of the AJR-Kindertransport special interest group, Sir Erich Reich, "Alongside his great wit and wonderful sense of humour, Frank leaves us a rich legacy of memorials, sited across European cities form where the Kinder travelled to England. Frank was always keen that the local communities be thanked, especially so in England to which he was eternally...
15/03/2018
80th Anniversary of the Anschluss
The Association of Jewish refugees (AJR) and the Austrian Embassy in London held a joint commemoration this week to mark the 80th anniversary of the Anschluss. The event, held on 13 March at the Austrian Ambassador’s residence, was attended by Sir Erich Reich – Chair of the Kindertransport specialist group of the AJR, Sir Eric Pickles - Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues, Markus Feurstein of the Claims Conference, and Hannah Lessing - Secretary General of the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism, among others. The Anschluss was the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, and marked the beginning of seven years of persecution, exile or murder for Jewish and minority groups by the Nazi regime. A spokesperson for the Austrian Embassy said, “This catastrophe left Austria with a historic and moral responsibility - to never forget and to draw lessons for present times and...
13/03/2018
Mona Golabek at Kindertransport Lunch
AJR were delighted to hold their monthly Kindertransport Lunch for March at New North London Synagogue in conjunction with HET (Holocaust Educational Trust). The guest speaker was Mona Golabek who wrote the play The Pianist of Willesden Lane telling the story of her mother Lisa Jura’s journey to England as a Kinder from Vienna and the strength her music brought her throughout her traumatic youth. We were joined by Year 6 Pupils from Akiva School together with over 50 Kinder to hear Mona speak about the writing of the book and play and perform the tunes that meant so much to her mother. Mona took a number of questions from the children who have been studying the book as part of the project with HET. Three of the older members of the audience knew Mona’s mother personally and lived with her at the hostel in Willesden Lane where she lived...
13/03/2018
Latest Kindertransport Newsletter
If you would like to read the April KT newsletter, please click on the link Newsletter April 2018