Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,610
There are some stories
which we are not only an audience to,
2
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,446
but may become their participants.
3
00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:06,090
Until 1988 it was all a mystery.
4
00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,882
This old man saved my life
5
00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,040
and that of hundreds of others
in the 2nd world war.
6
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:23,005
Yet for 50 years after our escape
from all but a certain death,
7
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,129
we knew nothing about him.
8
00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:27,642
Not even that he existed.
9
00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,283
Now he is celebrated as a hem.
10
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:40,121
He insists that what he did
was nothing to make a fuss about.
11
00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:47,889
His story came lo fascinate people
the world over, especially children.
12
00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:53,367
They wanted to know more, much more.
And they had questions.
13
00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:55,489
Why did he do it?
14
00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,242
How did he manage to succeed in
what seemed like mission impossible?
15
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,889
So along with others
I set out to discover
16
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,850
and tell the story in a film.
17
00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,729
Given that I owe my life to him
I couldn't have done no less.
18
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:35,291
NICKY'S FAMILY
19
00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,850
Nicky's story came out by accident
20
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:48,643
after this scrapbook surfaced
after gathering dust decades.
21
00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:53,642
Once it did, though, it set about
a whole chain of incredible events.
22
00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:56,651
Oh, hey guys, that's me.
23
00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,564
- Really?
- Before I left for England.
24
00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,482
The scrapbook is filled with
photographs of children
25
00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:08,003
caught up in a lottery of life
and death, some of their drawings,
26
00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,768
urgent telegrams and pleading letters
from their desperate parents -
27
00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,802
messages from a long ago past
28
00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,969
that brought on
a rush of childhood memories.
29
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,482
Memories of the 1930's,
30
00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,047
of the pleasures of childhood
in Czechoslovakia -
31
00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,407
the country we all came from.
32
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,127
As I remember life in my own hometown
of Bratislava,
33
00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,163
the capital of Slovakia,
34
00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,723
it was a pleasant, tolerant,
multicultural and multilingual place.
35
00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,970
I learned to greet my mother's
women friends
36
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,721
with the then standard politeness of:
'l kiss your hand.'
37
00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,651
It was, and I remember it still:
'Ruku bozkavam' in Slovak,
38
00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,765
'Ruku libam' in Czech,
'lch kuess die Hand' in German
39
00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,406
and 'Kese czokolom' in Hungarian.
40
00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,565
What I remember most vividly, though,
are the small things
41
00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,411
like going to a cafe with my father.
42
00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:35,011
And he used to play chess
and we used to gel hot chocolate
43
00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,851
with lots of whipped cream
on top of it.
44
00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,566
From my childhood as a family,
we were very patriotic.
45
00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:50,964
My father encouraged us to go to all
the Czech wonderful manifestations
46
00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,722
that took part because Czechoslovakia
was for the first time
47
00:04:55,760 --> 00:05:00,049
a country of its own and we all
believed in its great future.
48
00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,450
We lived in Teplioe Sanov
49
00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:16,726
and enjoyed many good things.
50
00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:18,604
My brother was marvelous.
51
00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,241
He invented all kinds of wonderful
games for us to do,
52
00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,728
which were usually a bit risky
and a bit naughty.
53
00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,407
And I would have done anything
with him at all.
54
00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,810
We lived in a small village
in the foothills of Tetra mountains.
55
00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:38,127
And we had a very happy childhood.
56
00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,324
We spent a lot of time in the woods,
57
00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,046
picking strawberries and mushrooms
and wild flowers.
58
00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:48,609
And we had animals.
59
00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:54,608
I had a chicken, and we had one cow,
and we planted vegetables.
60
00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,446
And my mother taught us all
the Slovak songs
61
00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,081
and we sang together a great deal.
62
00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:29,166
We used to go every Sunday
to Karla Vary along the promenade.
63
00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:35,323
My father was an amateur dancer
and won many prizes
64
00:06:35,840 --> 00:06:38,446
and it was a well-known
family outing.
65
00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:45,445
We had a good life
fill the Nazis took over in 1938.
66
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,889
Before Nazism was born and grew
and strength in Central Europe.
67
00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,445
It started with Germany’s
Nazi dictator, Adolph Hitler,
68
00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:14,883
instilling hatred in Germans
from childhood up for everything
69
00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:19,528
he considered foreign, most of all
for Jews, Gypsies and Slavs.
70
00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:26,170
And he used the hate he had whipped
up to prepare his nation for war.
71
00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:42,529
You could hear Hitler's voice
raving on the radio.
72
00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:47,087
You could see the Hitletjugend -
Hitler youth,
73
00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,600
marching through our streets
74
00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:56,564
and you could feel the danger
getting closer and closer and closer.
75
00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,045
We were 7-year-old children
in 2nd grade (in Gennan school)
76
00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:08,051
and one day a girl comes up to me
and slaps me on the face,
77
00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,970
and she said:
My father told me to do that.
78
00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,925
So I was stunned, I was
flabbergasted. How can she do that?
79
00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,246
I was only about 4 or 5 years old
(living in Sudetenland),
80
00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,762
but I hit my head on
the central heating radiator
81
00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:33,840
and I out my head open and I remember
my father taking me to the doctor
82
00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,724
and the doctor looked at it
and he said:
83
00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,765
That does need stitching,
but I don't stitch Jews.
84
00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:46,529
The hatred coming from Germany
didn't just endanger Jews,
85
00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:48,609
but also the Czechs as well.
86
00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:53,601
They turned out to protest Hitler's
demands for a chunk of their country,
87
00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:55,961
the so-called Sudeten borderlands.
88
00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,324
The Czechs mobilized
to defend themselves.
89
00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:07,241
But they needed help
from their allies in the West.
90
00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,404
Neither in Britain nor for that
matter in any other democracy
91
00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:16,929
was there any great will
to confront Hitler and risk war.
92
00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,130
So the British and French
prime ministers went to Munich
93
00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:26,245
and ended up signing
a humiliating deal with Hitler.
94
00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:38,043
The word Munich has ever since
then stood for cowardly appeasement.
95
00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:42,165
A! the time, though, when
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
96
00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,091
returned here to parliament
and waved that piece of paper
97
00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,488
and declared it to have brought peace
for our time
98
00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,649
a wave of relief swept
through most of Europe.
99
00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:55,331
But not in Czechoslovakia, of course.
100
00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,811
We lived in Sudetenland,
in the town of Pohberovice,
101
00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,606
which is near to the border
of Germany.
102
00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,561
It all happened so suddenly.
103
00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,804
My mother took us 4 children,
104
00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:29,325
we didn't manage to take anything
at all, we just ran for our lives.
105
00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,331
This was frightening for children.
106
00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,284
I remember standing in front of
a shop window
107
00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,483
where there was
a map of Czechoslovak republic
108
00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,649
and in black ink was marked
in the pan,
109
00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:43,962
which was handed over to Hitler.
110
00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:49,643
And there were people all around the
shop making all kinds of bad remarks:
111
00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:54,288
Well, you cant do that, we will
fight, we will fight, we will fight.
112
00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:59,883
I remember the following day
loading all our few belongings,
113
00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:04,721
there weren't too much, on a horse
and cart and we were out of there.
114
00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:10,882
My parents, my brother and I
and that time I was just 6 years old.
115
00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:13,924
We had no clue what was going on.
116
00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:26,087
There was a new refugee in our class
117
00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:33,288
and I was most surprised to see
that she had no shoes on her feet.
118
00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,246
When break came,
I ran across the road
119
00:11:37,560 --> 00:11:43,169
and took out of my wardrobe my best
shoes and brought them to her.
120
00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,130
I told mother what had happened.
121
00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:52,003
Tears appeared on her face
and she hugged me.
122
00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,205
And she said: You did
the right thing, my little girl.
123
00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,888
The first pages of the scrapbook
and of our story
124
00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:17,163
came to be written in December 1938.
125
00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,882
You look at the pictures
and the list of all of us
126
00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,844
He didn't think it was necessary.
127
00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,248
He said: Why do you want to
stay in Czechoslovakia
128
00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:10,888
and help those far-of! people the
people don'! know anything about'?
129
00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,246
He was just a money chap
on the stock exchange.
130
00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:17,642
Completely non-humanitarian,
131
00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,566
with bags of money
and all he thought about was money.
132
00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,328
Winton, to the relief
of his co-workers,
133
00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:30,485
decided to defy his boss
and stay in Prague.
134
00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:36,609
Nicky Winton's efforts
came to the ears of all those
135
00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:40,566
who had decided to send
their children away
136
00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:45,129
that my father also approached
this Refugee Committee.
137
00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:53,726
My mother took me to
the Winton office on Hrubesova ulice.
138
00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:57,802
We stood in line
on a winding staircase for hours
139
00:23:58,120 --> 00:24:02,330
till my tum came
and I was registered.
140
00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:15,571
The parents exchanged
their hopes and fears
141
00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,321
and we children eyed each other
for potential friends.
142
00:24:24,120 --> 00:24:27,761
You had all these refugees
who were fleeing from Hitler
143
00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,565
and who were in danger of their lives
144
00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:35,482
if Hitler made another move
into Czechoslovakia.
145
00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,529
This was the day
the Germans occupied Prague.
146
00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:53,921
There were convoys approaching,
147
00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:58,329
Germans with motorcycles
in from vliih sidecars
148
00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:02,001
and behind them
there were the big trucks,
149
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,528
open tucks vliih soldiers
seated on two rows.
150
00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:10,123
People on the streets were screaming
at them, women were crying.
151
00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:21,602
Finally, a very large Mercedes drove
past vliih Hitler standing there,
152
00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:28,250
with his ann raised,
with three officers sitting behind.
153
00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:32,963
It was so quiet, it was like
you could hear the pin drop.
154
00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:42,481
It was a very disturbing feeling
to me, I was 10 years old.
155
00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:01,404
As soon as Hitler came in,
a Nazi officer came to our school
156
00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,205
and said:
Who are the Jewish children?
157
00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,051
And another child and I
put my hand up.
158
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:11,768
So he said: You will sit at the back!
Jewish children sit at the back!
159
00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,570
When he went out the headmaster
came in and he said:
160
00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:21,163
From now on,
the back seal is the seal of honor.
161
00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:23,806
Only the best children sit there.
162
00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,127
That was Czechoslovakia.
163
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:35,081
Winton wrote all over, looking for
countries lo lake in these children.
164
00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,564
Only one responded positively -
his own country, Britain.
165
00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:43,288
The rest of the world
closed its eyes, its ears,
166
00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,967
its hearts and its gates.
167
00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:53,209
Winton started his work
in London from scratch.
168
00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:56,403
There was no organization,
no existing pipeline
169
00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:01,646
and he was convinced that time was
running out, that war about to come.
170
00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,610
From this house
on London's Hampstead Heath,
171
00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:09,642
Winton conducted his campaign
172
00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,570
to gel the Germans
to let the children out,
173
00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,206
the British Home Office
to let them in,
174
00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,881
to find British families
to take them into their homes
175
00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,129
and to raise the money
to make it all possible.
176
00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,244
One of the chief problems was
that people said
177
00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:33,966
that the English government
would never allow children in
178
00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,367
on their own without their parents.
179
00:27:38,360 --> 00:27:43,127
I asked the Home Office
and they said yes.
180
00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:48,850
And they gave me certain conditions,
which were difficult.
181
00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:53,968
I had to find a family,
which would look after the child.
182
00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:58,005
And each child had to have
a guarantor of 50 pounds.
183
00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:00,407
It was a hell of a lot of money.
184
00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,846
When I say the Committee in London,
185
00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:08,129
it was me and a secretary
working from home.
186
00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:12,484
I mean, we had no office.
We weren't an official body at all.
187
00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,650
So all I had to do was to buy
some notepaper
188
00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:20,129
and print British Committee
for Refugees from Czechoslovakia.
189
00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:27,285
And at a very special meeting
I had vliih myself
190
00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:33,209
I them appointed
myself Honorary Secretary.
191
00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,083
Then I had the police 'round
192
00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:48,171
asking me why I had so much
correspondence with Prague.
193
00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:51,331
The situation in Prague was serious.
194
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,765
There was active menacing hostility
from the Gennans.
195
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:13,409
When Hitler came
and Germans occupied Czechoslovakia
196
00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,091
I had to leave school.
197
00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:20,048
We couldn't go to the movies,
to the opera
198
00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,651
or to concert,
everything was forbidden.
199
00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:29,481
Father was driving
along the Karlovo namesfi,
200
00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,569
saw that the Gestapo
made an action there -
201
00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,889
and they were taking people out
and putting them on a truck.
202
00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,682
Every family was scared.
Which family wasn't scared?
203
00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:43,563
Every family was scared.
204
00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:48,650
Whenever my father left
for the office in the morning
205
00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:53,209
my mother was terribly upset
and quite often cried
206
00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:58,690
because she was so worried
that he might never come home again,
207
00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,326
being amend by he Germans.
208
00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:06,643
One day, some Gennan officers
came to this Jewish town hall
209
00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,967
and demanded from my father
210
00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:17,364
a list of names and addresses
of the Jews in Prague.
211
00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,484
And he told them that he
didn't have anything like that.
212
00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,127
My father was a wanted person.
213
00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:39,362
And he was warned to leave.
214
00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:44,730
A few days later the Gestapo
did come to look for him.
215
00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,329
They took my mother away
for questioning.
216
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:58,648
Well, I was beginning to pick up
tension and wony in the grownups.
217
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,481
My uncle and his wife
committed suicide.
218
00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,002
And then, the next day,
219
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:14,125
someone came to our house
and said Brno was burning.
220
00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:16,966
I was terrified of lire.
221
00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:19,764
That was the day then
222
00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:25,165
that there were 3, 4 synagogues
burned down to the ground.
223
00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:34,842
As the despair of the parents grew,
so did the pressure on Winton.
224
00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,726
With photographs of applicants
continuing to flow in.
225
00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:45,204
A simple snapshot could often
decide the fate of a child.
226
00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:59,284
We received the pictures
of the children from Prague
227
00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:01,761
vliih details of each child.
228
00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:05,603
We enlisted these pictures
in the local press,
229
00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:08,166
the national press, in Picture Post,
230
00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:11,688
which was a journal
which helped us enormously.
231
00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,122
What made Winton so effective
232
00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,801
was that in the addition
of his skills as a salesman,
233
00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:27,528
he also had a creative spark
and willingness to experiment.
234
00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:41,250
We put 6 or 8 of these children
together on one card
235
00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:43,727
merely to speed up
the process
236
00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:46,889
of getting the British families
to choose.
237
00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:53,761
If somebody said: We'd like to take
a child, we just said: What sex?
238
00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:56,167
And then we said: What age?
239
00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,647
We gave them pictures of
half a dozen children
240
00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,968
and then we asked them to
choose a child,
241
00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:07,570
which was rather a commercial way
of dealing with it,
242
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,083
but it was quick
and effective and it worked.
243
00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,210
And in most cases it went right.
244
00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,289
When somebody wanted to lake a child,
245
00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:50,963
say they were up in Newcastle, from
London which is a long way away,
246
00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,925
we got somebody in Newcastle
to see that the family was ok.
247
00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,971
Then we got to send them photos
of a number of children.
248
00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:04,810
My father came home
with his eyes shining,
249
00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,243
grinning from ear to ear and said:
250
00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:12,362
We think we may be able to
save a child.
251
00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:17,201
And my mother said: That's all very
well with your head in the clouds,
252
00:34:17,240 --> 00:34:20,608
always saving the world,
but how can we afford it,
253
00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,530
an extra child coming into our home?
254
00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,689
And my father said:
There's a child in need,
255
00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:31,090
we will work out
'Can we afford it?' later.
256
00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:35,122
And he got from Nicholas Winton
two photographs
257
00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:37,811
and put them in from of me and said:
258
00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:41,208
Now, these are little girls
now you must choose.
259
00:34:41,240 --> 00:34:45,165
This isn't ljust a game anymore,
you have to be serious.
260
00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:49,250
So I chose Vera Diamanlova.
261
00:34:53,240 --> 00:34:56,164
How did you feel
when you were told or asked
262
00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,044
that you were going to go to England?
263
00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:02,806
We were sitting down
around a table having supper.
264
00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:10,281
But mother wasn't eating and suddenly
she put her knife and fork down
265
00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:14,883
and looked at father
and said very quietly:
266
00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:22,008
I heard today that both Eva and Vera
can go to England.
267
00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:27,288
And my father looked up and there
were tears in her eyes as he said:
268
00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:31,763
We have to let them go.
269
00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:42,123
There was a lot of sadness
in the house
270
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:47,810
and also a son of
peculiar atmosphere.
271
00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:52,291
My father looked sad, my mother,
obviously, was devastated.
272
00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:59,409
One day I remember
my father called me and he said:
273
00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:02,087
You're going on a long journey.
274
00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:06,165
You're going to a country
called England.
275
00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,680
We can't come with you.
276
00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:30,610
The pressure from the parents
was incredible.
277
00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:39,086
We in London at that time thought
278
00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:43,409
that there was going to be
a catastrophe at any moment.
279
00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:47,091
And for us time was
absolutely essential.
280
00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:49,248
We cut all kinds of corners,
281
00:36:51,720 --> 00:36:54,803
even having faked passports
or travel documents
282
00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:59,931
made at some time because
the Home Office was a bit slow.
283
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:07,571
It was a forgery to bamboozle
the Germans, really,
284
00:37:07,720 --> 00:37:09,688
not to bamboozle the British.
285
00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:12,565
We didn't bring anybody in illegally,
286
00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,209
we just speeded
the process up a little.
287
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:28,408
Two days before I left
with the Kindertransport,
288
00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:32,082
my parents took me
to some resort near Prague
289
00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:37,371
where there was a lake where
they wanted to be alone vliih me.
290
00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:43,360
I saw a very pretty young girl there
291
00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:47,130
and I offered to teach her
how to row
292
00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:54,048
and I got completely lost
in this activity.
293
00:37:55,640 --> 00:38:00,601
Finally when I came back my mother
looked at me with great relief
294
00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:02,529
and reproach and said:
295
00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:07,441
ls that what you do to your parents
one day before you are leaving?
296
00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:11,007
And I felt very guilty about it.
297
00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:16,331
I have a dress that my mother
made for me.
298
00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:18,806
She made everything herself.
299
00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:23,004
She sowed for us to have clothes
not only for the age
300
00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,930
that we were at the time,
but for...
301
00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:31,330
she didn't know how long it would
last, how long we would be away,
302
00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,682
so she sowed for a year ahead or so.
303
00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:39,971
Then the day came
when we had to leave.
304
00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,447
We went to the train.
Everybody was there already -
305
00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:47,565
my grandparents and all our friends
and all our neighbors.
306
00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:49,682
And they came to say good-bye.
307
00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:58,330
My mother with a friend of hers
took me to station.
308
00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:05,564
And I can still see the tension
on my mother's face, looking anxious.
309
00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:10,089
There were German soldiers
standing nearby,
310
00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:13,203
lots of other parents seeing
their children off
311
00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:19,482
and a clear sense of tension,
which even a 6-year-old child felt.
312
00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:26,247
My mom, she's crying so hard and...
She was hysterical.
313
00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:31,081
And she's asking us over and over:
Are you sure you want to go?
314
00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:34,567
Are you sure you want to go?
315
00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:38,571
I am frustrated -
why is my mother crying like that?
316
00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:47,921
The transport was due to leave,
I'd get a message from the Germans:
317
00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:52,602
We can'! let the transport go unless
you give us so much more money.
318
00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:57,202
So they were terrible.
You just had to find the money.
319
00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:03,049
There's no way you can cancel
a big operation like that.
320
00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:21,090
Was it easy for you to leave
and to go to England?
321
00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:25,125
I have to say, it was
because I was looking forward to it.
322
00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:29,722
Here I was a kid from Central Europe
and I was going to England.
323
00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,966
So then the last thing my dad
said to me was
324
00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,049
I should be his brave,
cheerful little girl.
325
00:40:43,160 --> 00:40:44,969
And I think I have been.
326
00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:48,606
And he said: See you soon.
327
00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:05,409
My unmet was beside heme“.
328
00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:11,403
My little sister was crying,
my mother wanted to hold her,
329
00:41:11,440 --> 00:41:16,287
she took my sister through
the open window off the train.
330
00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:19,608
We kept on telling my mother
to keep her
331
00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:23,326
when she took her out
of the window and she held her...
332
00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:28,287
I know how much she suffered,
really. I can just visualize it.
333
00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:31,483
It just makes me cry
when I think about it.
334
00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:51,163
And if she hadn't put her back on
she wouldn't have survived.
335
00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:56,121
Decades later, I would catch myself
looking at my own children,
336
00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:59,682
trying to recapture a fraction
of the dread those
337
00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:03,009
and my parents must have fell.
338
00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:15,962
Today you have to realize
the sacrifice our parents did for us.
339
00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:20,571
They didn't know
where they were sending us to.
340
00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:29,801
It was the courage of our parents
to send their children away.
341
00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:44,685
We all had one little suitcase
and a little blanket
342
00:43:44,720 --> 00:43:48,566
and we salon these benches
here in a carriage like this
343
00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:52,481
and there were a lot of children...
a lot of crying...
344
00:43:52,520 --> 00:43:54,409
everybody was crying.
345
00:43:57,560 --> 00:44:02,566
It was a long journey and so I
climbed up on the shelf like this
346
00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:08,563
and I could stretch my legs
and it fell good, I was happy.
347
00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:15,526
70 years after we left for Britain,
many of us found themselves
348
00:44:15,680 --> 00:44:19,730
making the journey all over again
on a special train.
349
00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:23,362
It was a time to remember
and reminisce.
350
00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:32,561
They put me in charge of you.
351
00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:37,731
And I put you on my lap and we
started playing Hop, hop, rider.
352
00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:40,446
- You still remember that?
- I remember.
353
00:44:40,560 --> 00:44:43,803
Hop, hop, rider
If he falls he will be crying.
354
00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:47,322
If he falls into the ditch,
He will be eaten by the ravens.
355
00:44:47,360 --> 00:44:51,160
If he falls into the mud,
The rider falls with a splash!
356
00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:57,967
Then the next day
when we were crossing Germany,
357
00:44:58,120 --> 00:45:01,169
we were passing through
these railway stations
358
00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:03,931
bedecked with Nazi flags, unifomrs.
359
00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:10,730
Then there were big portraits
of Hitler and swastikas everywhere.
360
00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:19,402
We arrived at the Gennan border,
361
00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:23,284
there were lots of Germans
crowding around
362
00:45:23,520 --> 00:45:26,649
and we wondered
what was going to happen.
363
00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:31,566
There was something
very frightening
364
00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:36,248
about the way they walked into
the cabin, looked at our luggage.
365
00:56:05,760 --> 00:56:10,288
The lessons from her life were
the extraordinary unselfishness.
366
00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:15,087
Mamie gave me this wonderful dog,
a great dane, and I was very small,
367
00:56:15,120 --> 00:56:19,409
I could ride on his back,
on the dog's back.
368
00:56:19,880 --> 00:56:24,841
- We used to play mothers and
fathers. You remember? -Yes.
369
00:56:24,880 --> 00:56:27,531
We just played happily together.
370
00:56:27,560 --> 00:56:30,643
We did. And then we played
cowboys and Indians.
371
00:56:38,200 --> 00:56:42,603
My first day in London, Audrey,
my guarantors daughter,
372
00:56:42,720 --> 00:56:44,882
took me to Harrods here.
373
00:56:45,240 --> 00:56:49,723
There were so many new sights for me.
We had a great time.
374
00:56:51,840 --> 00:56:56,482
I decided I was going to marry
Audrey, even though she had pimples.
375
00:56:56,800 --> 00:57:00,088
But I wanted to live
in that rich house of theirs.
376
00:57:03,280 --> 00:57:07,410
Once the children had arrived
and were with their new families,
377
00:57:07,440 --> 00:57:10,250
I had no contact with them anymore.
378
00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:13,404
I knew that they were being
well looked after
379
00:57:13,440 --> 00:57:17,001
and some went to the Czech school
in Wales.
380
00:57:22,160 --> 00:57:25,881
We had many pillow fights in school.
381
00:57:25,920 --> 00:57:31,245
And many times these pillows burst
and the feathers blew out
382
00:57:31,320 --> 00:57:33,402
and we had to clean it up.
383
00:57:34,640 --> 00:57:36,290
I liked it there.
384
00:57:36,320 --> 00:57:39,927
It was a good atmosphere
with boys and girls together.
385
00:57:54,200 --> 00:57:58,808
Let's face it: I couldn't run down
those stairs like that any longer,
386
00:57:58,840 --> 00:58:03,880
but I do remember those days
as though they were yesterday.
387
00:58:05,160 --> 00:58:08,209
Despite the separation
from our families,
388
00:58:08,240 --> 00:58:11,369
despite the fact
that we missed them so much,
389
00:58:11,400 --> 00:58:14,847
those were some of the happiest
times in my life
390
00:58:14,880 --> 00:58:17,360
and in that of many
of my schoolmates.
391
00:58:18,280 --> 00:58:21,443
We also did things in the community.
392
00:58:21,480 --> 00:58:25,724
We went to old-age home
and spent time with the people there.
393
00:58:25,760 --> 00:58:29,685
We learned that you are not
the center of the universe,
394
00:58:29,720 --> 00:58:33,884
that there are other people out
there who had problems and needs
395
00:58:34,240 --> 00:58:37,130
and maybe
you can do something about it.
396
00:58:37,240 --> 00:58:40,164
So it was fun, it was great fun.
397
00:58:40,320 --> 00:58:43,005
Also, we acquired an education.
398
00:58:50,280 --> 00:58:54,410
We were all crazy about the boys.
All of us girls, you know.
399
00:58:54,880 --> 00:58:59,522
We tried to attract their attention
in every way it was possible
400
00:58:59,560 --> 00:59:03,645
and when I look back at it,
we were absolutely nuts.
401
00:59:05,520 --> 00:59:11,243
I was inexperienced with girls
and I asked my brother
402
00:59:11,360 --> 00:59:17,447
how to arrange girls
when I finally took them out.
403
00:59:17,680 --> 00:59:21,651
His advice was I should take them
to the cinema
404
00:59:21,840 --> 00:59:24,605
and when the lights went down,
405
00:59:24,720 --> 00:59:29,442
to put my ann around her
and everything else would follow.
406
00:59:29,880 --> 00:59:31,962
But...
407
00:59:41,600 --> 00:59:46,481
So I'm afraid his advice was good
in theory,
408
00:59:46,520 --> 00:59:49,171
but not very good in practice.
409
00:59:49,560 --> 00:59:53,645
Month of August, which is normally
a happy month of holidays,
410
00:59:53,680 --> 00:59:57,082
has been passed in Europe
in the shadow of war.
411
00:59:57,120 --> 01:00:00,442
Hitler demanded Danzig
and the Polish corridor.
412
01:00:04,240 --> 01:00:08,882
I've got a letter here, which my
father wrote to the foster parents.
413
01:00:09,520 --> 01:00:12,251
You will, I suppose,
feel how it aches us
414
01:00:12,360 --> 01:00:14,806
to be separated from our own child.
415
01:00:14,840 --> 01:00:18,287
Here the possibility
to care for her suitable future
416
01:00:18,320 --> 01:00:20,527
is smaller with every day.
417
01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:28,648
As the moths passed,
Winton knew the end was near,
418
01:00:28,760 --> 01:00:33,800
so he kept on pressing even harder
for permits for more children.
419
01:00:36,800 --> 01:00:40,805
I mean there were
thousands of children on the list
420
01:00:40,920 --> 01:00:43,571
who wanted to gel out.
421
01:00:43,800 --> 01:00:47,521
We had organized
8 transports from Prague.
422
01:00:48,320 --> 01:00:51,164
No transport completed the operation.
423
01:00:51,200 --> 01:00:54,283
I mean it was an operation
without end.
424
01:00:55,880 --> 01:00:58,008
For the beginning of September,
425
01:00:58,040 --> 01:01:00,566
we had arranged
our biggest transport,
426
01:01:00,600 --> 01:01:03,683
which could have comprised
250 children.
427
01:01:03,760 --> 01:01:06,730
All the paperwork was done,
428
01:01:06,760 --> 01:01:09,047
all the families were prepared,
429
01:01:09,080 --> 01:01:12,163
all the children were waiting
in the rain...
430
01:01:46,840 --> 01:01:51,289
We shall defend our island,
whatever the cost.
431
01:01:51,680 --> 01:01:54,490
We shall never surrender.
432
01:02:10,480 --> 01:02:12,608
I was in London.
433
01:02:12,840 --> 01:02:16,640
We watched the planes coming over,
dropping bombs.
434
01:02:16,680 --> 01:02:22,449
I remember the houses fell down
like cards or domino sticks.
435
01:02:22,480 --> 01:02:25,131
Just collapsed.
436
01:02:27,960 --> 01:02:31,282
I was afraid to go out
on the street afterwards.
437
01:02:31,960 --> 01:02:34,440
It was a terrifying experience.
438
01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:40,848
And our neighbors got a direct hit
on their shelter in their garden
439
01:02:40,880 --> 01:02:43,121
and all of them were killed.
440
01:02:49,600 --> 01:02:54,322
During the Battle of Britain, bombs
were raining down on us every night.
441
01:02:54,360 --> 01:02:58,729
I was then in an apprentice cook
at the Bailys hotel in London
442
01:02:58,760 --> 01:03:03,687
as a dishwasher and a pol washer
and every night, practically,
443
01:03:03,800 --> 01:03:06,371
we ended up in the air raid shelter.
444
01:03:07,880 --> 01:03:13,569
I was sitting next to a maid
and when a bomb was falling,
445
01:03:13,600 --> 01:03:15,762
she clutched my knee.
446
01:03:16,440 --> 01:03:22,721
And I asked her whether we could
share a blanket and she agreed.
447
01:03:22,760 --> 01:03:27,687
And then I put my hand on her knee
and she didn't object.
448
01:03:28,160 --> 01:03:33,087
And my hand started roaming
and she didn't object, either.
449
01:03:33,320 --> 01:03:36,802
So I really looking forward to
these air raids.
450
01:03:36,840 --> 01:03:42,290
But then there was a lull in the air
raids and I missed her so much.
451
01:03:46,440 --> 01:03:53,449
My mother was absolutely heartbroken
and she wrote us long letters.
452
01:03:54,600 --> 01:04:00,323
My dearest children, I am very happy
that you are over there
453
01:04:00,440 --> 01:04:03,046
and don't know about evil.
454
01:04:03,200 --> 01:04:08,047
All Jews under 50 here
must work in labor camps.
455
01:04:08,080 --> 01:04:12,130
We will come through somehow
and you mustn't worry about us.
456
01:04:13,840 --> 01:04:17,401
But I am very happy
that you are not here.
457
01:04:17,520 --> 01:04:20,967
If you were,
I would have many more worries.
458
01:04:25,320 --> 01:04:28,722
We learned about
the concentration camps
459
01:04:29,000 --> 01:04:33,881
and the possibility that our parents
might have been taken to them.
460
01:04:34,840 --> 01:04:38,811
We all hoped that nothing awful
happened to them,
461
01:04:38,960 --> 01:04:42,123
that they were well.
462
01:04:43,440 --> 01:04:49,800
The last letter from my father
came in 1942.
463
01:04:49,840 --> 01:04:54,084
He wrote that they had received
orders to pack up,
464
01:04:54,120 --> 01:04:58,091
that they would be transported
somewhere else.
465
01:04:58,880 --> 01:05:01,565
And in which he wrote his sons,
466
01:05:01,840 --> 01:05:08,291
telling them not to forget
the precepts they were taught at home
467
01:05:08,960 --> 01:05:13,204
and he hoped the almighty would
allow us to grow up
468
01:05:13,320 --> 01:05:17,530
into just and decent men.
469
01:05:20,320 --> 01:05:25,008
And that was last thing
I heard from my parents.
470
01:05:51,920 --> 01:05:55,322
Our greatest regret was
that our biggest transport,
471
01:05:55,440 --> 01:05:57,044
which was 250 children,
472
01:05:57,160 --> 01:06:00,801
which was due to leave
at the beginning of September,
473
01:06:00,840 --> 01:06:03,161
was canceled because war started.
474
01:06:03,840 --> 01:06:07,287
And almost none
of those children survived.
475
01:06:07,440 --> 01:06:11,206
Nothing that happened
prior to the war starting
476
01:06:11,600 --> 01:06:14,922
was really
of any importance anymore.
477
01:06:16,520 --> 01:06:18,409
What was done was done,
478
01:06:18,440 --> 01:06:21,649
what couldn't be done
couldn't be done.
479
01:06:21,680 --> 01:06:24,684
Once you can'! stop a war
and there is a war
480
01:06:24,720 --> 01:06:27,326
you go to the defense
of your country.
481
01:06:27,360 --> 01:06:30,364
And l joined the RAF.
482
01:06:44,040 --> 01:06:48,807
I joined the royal air force,
our Czech squadron number 311
483
01:06:49,040 --> 01:06:53,489
and our job was to look for
enemy shipping.
484
01:07:02,480 --> 01:07:05,529
I volunteered for the Czech RAF
485
01:07:05,560 --> 01:07:08,643
and I was able to help
to hunt Gennan submarines.
486
01:07:09,520 --> 01:07:12,967
I wanted to help to liberate my country.
487
01:07:37,760 --> 01:07:41,890
We decided to go to town to see
how everybody was celebrating.
488
01:07:41,920 --> 01:07:46,687
Trafalgar Square, I remember,
in London
489
01:07:47,120 --> 01:07:52,570
where everybody went around
putting up their two - V for victory,
490
01:07:52,880 --> 01:07:55,326
everybody laughed - that was so gay,
491
01:07:55,360 --> 01:07:57,966
we were dancing
vliih American soldiers.
492
01:08:04,680 --> 01:08:08,890
We returned to Prague
with the whole squadron,
493
01:08:09,160 --> 01:08:12,130
all of us really happy lo be home,
494
01:08:12,400 --> 01:08:17,804
there was a huge parade in Prague,
in which I took pan as well.
495
01:08:20,680 --> 01:08:23,524
All the girls were dressed
in national dress
496
01:08:24,200 --> 01:08:26,487
and all of us enjoyed it.
497
01:08:46,480 --> 01:08:48,767
The war was over.
498
01:08:49,080 --> 01:08:53,210
But still no news of our families.
499
01:08:53,400 --> 01:08:57,371
I came to Prague,
here to this building behind me,
500
01:08:57,480 --> 01:09:02,327
which served as a clearinghouse
for separated families.
501
01:09:02,600 --> 01:09:05,410
Inside, wall upon wall
filled vliih notices
502
01:09:05,440 --> 01:09:09,126
put up by people
looking for their missing loved ones.
503
01:09:09,160 --> 01:09:15,122
Of my parents, though, not a race.
I know they were deported to Poland,
504
01:09:15,240 --> 01:09:19,245
but to this day, I am not certain
how they came to die.
505
01:09:20,200 --> 01:09:22,885
My first stop in Prague was the house
506
01:09:23,040 --> 01:09:27,011
from which my parents
were deported to Terezin.
507
01:09:27,600 --> 01:09:31,446
There was a minimal chance
that they would have come back.
508
01:09:33,880 --> 01:09:39,683
I lingered for a while as if I were
waiting for them to appear suddenly.
509
01:09:41,960 --> 01:09:43,530
But in vain.
510
01:09:46,720 --> 01:09:51,123
My mother and my brother
together with about 10 other children
511
01:09:51,240 --> 01:09:53,004
arrived to Auschwitz
512
01:09:56,800 --> 01:09:59,929
and were sent to the gas chamber.
513
01:10:00,440 --> 01:10:04,729
An old friend of the family
who took care of the dead bodies
514
01:10:04,840 --> 01:10:07,525
immediately recognized my mother.
515
01:10:07,600 --> 01:10:10,968
He told her: Please,
take your children in,
516
01:10:11,200 --> 01:10:16,411
sit down in the comer
and start to sing with them.
517
01:10:16,920 --> 01:10:24,725
Because if you sing and you inhale
the gas, you will die very quickly.
518
01:11:36,280 --> 01:11:39,568
When my parents went to
concentration camps
519
01:11:39,600 --> 01:11:42,604
and when they saw other children
around them,
520
01:11:42,640 --> 01:11:45,962
young boys and girls
being taken to gas chambers
521
01:11:46,200 --> 01:11:49,329
and so forth that they
must have then...
522
01:11:58,800 --> 01:12:05,126
they must have then realized
what they had done...
523
01:12:11,000 --> 01:12:13,890
when they sent their children...
524
01:12:42,720 --> 01:12:49,285
My family, my parents -
none of these people survived.
525
01:12:50,280 --> 01:12:55,127
So after the war we had to continue
living, to overcome the past.
526
01:12:56,320 --> 01:13:01,690
We were all young, we were beginning,
we had to build careers.
527
01:13:02,000 --> 01:13:06,449
We spread all over the world,
some of us in Canada, in the States,
528
01:13:06,480 --> 01:13:08,960
in Israel, in Australia, in Britain.
529
01:13:10,240 --> 01:13:14,290
Wherever we ended up,
the most important thing for us
530
01:13:14,520 --> 01:13:18,127
was to start a new life
with new families.
531
01:13:18,840 --> 01:13:23,209
50 YEARS LATER
532
01:13:40,560 --> 01:13:45,407
I hadn't got a clue
where all these 700 children were.
533
01:13:45,480 --> 01:13:48,404
I wasn't in touch with any of them.
534
01:13:48,680 --> 01:13:50,728
For me it was an episode
535
01:13:55,160 --> 01:13:58,130
and it was something that happens.
536
01:13:58,200 --> 01:14:03,445
So many to me more important things,
happened in the meantime.
537
01:14:05,160 --> 01:14:08,721
He is very keen on his gardening
538
01:14:09,200 --> 01:14:12,010
and he spends a lot of time
in the garden.
539
01:14:12,040 --> 01:14:14,964
But he is a very
domesticated husband,
540
01:14:15,120 --> 01:14:18,010
he does a lot of helping out
in the house.
541
01:14:18,440 --> 01:14:22,843
I gel annoyed
because he is very untidy.
542
01:14:23,120 --> 01:14:28,843
I am not all that tidy,
but he is really very untidy.
543
01:14:30,560 --> 01:14:35,168
I'm fairly happy with Greta.
With what we do together.
544
01:14:35,200 --> 01:14:39,842
- Fairly! I like mat!
- Very happy. Very happy.
545
01:14:44,280 --> 01:14:47,682
Any good marriage
is a marriage of compromise.
546
01:14:47,920 --> 01:14:53,086
The only thing was,
Greta compromised more than I did.
547
01:14:53,280 --> 01:14:55,726
She was quite a very special person.
548
01:14:56,400 --> 01:15:01,042
If you're in love vliih somebody,
everybody says when that person dies:
549
01:15:02,920 --> 01:15:06,083
After time things will get better.
550
01:15:06,120 --> 01:15:08,851
It's not true. It gets worse.
551
01:15:09,480 --> 01:15:12,689
Instead of living you just exist.
552
01:15:18,480 --> 01:15:21,563
And I spend my time with carpentry,
553
01:15:22,280 --> 01:15:24,647
mending the bicycle, photography.
554
01:15:26,520 --> 01:15:31,526
I listen to music and I do my
embroidery, I do a bit of gardening.
555
01:15:32,120 --> 01:15:36,284
My father has been involved
in helping charities all his life.
556
01:15:36,320 --> 01:15:41,451
A lot of his work has been
vliih a charity helping old people.
557
01:15:41,760 --> 01:15:46,084
I'm just building
a home for Alzheimers.
558
01:15:46,120 --> 01:15:48,168
It costs 4 million pounds.
559
01:15:49,200 --> 01:15:51,726
He still acts as if
he's half his age.
560
01:15:51,760 --> 01:15:55,526
He's still very active
and still likes making mischief.
561
01:15:55,560 --> 01:15:59,007
His current plan is to
try to be arrested
562
01:15:59,040 --> 01:16:03,329
to show what a silly law we have
to do with helping old people.
563
01:16:05,560 --> 01:16:08,484
Well, I drive
and I like driving quickly.
564
01:16:09,240 --> 01:16:13,643
You got a speeding ticket last month.
What were you doing?
565
01:16:13,840 --> 01:16:17,322
I got a speeding ticket
in a one-way road
566
01:16:17,440 --> 01:16:19,886
where there was no other car
567
01:16:20,000 --> 01:16:23,891
and I was doing 50 miles an hour
in a 40 miles area.
568
01:16:29,200 --> 01:16:34,206
And the police said: Have you got any
excuse, why you were for doing it?
569
01:16:34,320 --> 01:16:37,802
And I said that I had to go
to the lavatory.
570
01:16:44,200 --> 01:16:47,363
Being so active must be
a recipe for longevity -
571
01:16:47,480 --> 01:16:50,051
just to keep going and not stop.
572
01:16:50,960 --> 01:16:53,486
Nicky, last words before you go?
573
01:16:53,760 --> 01:16:57,048
My words are that I hope
I will come back.
574
01:17:04,880 --> 01:17:07,804
One thing I've learned
from grandpa is
575
01:17:07,840 --> 01:17:11,083
that you should always
try to help people.
576
01:17:11,400 --> 01:17:13,926
I don't mind if you tell the truth.
577
01:17:14,120 --> 01:17:18,205
Of course I love my grandpa.
With all head. Everything.
578
01:17:23,080 --> 01:17:26,084
When you're young
you lake everything in life,
579
01:17:26,120 --> 01:17:28,327
including survival, for granted.
580
01:17:28,360 --> 01:17:31,523
As I grew older
I began to wonder more and more
581
01:17:31,560 --> 01:17:33,961
how it was that when so many died -
582
01:17:34,000 --> 01:17:37,686
our parents, friends, families
and millions of others -
583
01:17:37,720 --> 01:17:39,484
how it came to be that we,
584
01:17:39,520 --> 01:17:42,683
the fortunate few on those trains,
were spared.
585
01:17:42,800 --> 01:17:48,648
That is, until 50 years later
when this scrapbook surfaced.
586
01:17:48,680 --> 01:17:50,569
Then we knew.
587
01:17:59,720 --> 01:18:03,884
The scrapbook and its story
gathered dust for decades
588
01:18:04,000 --> 01:18:08,449
in the Winton's attic until one day,
Nicky's wife Greta found it,
589
01:18:08,640 --> 01:18:12,122
opened it, became fascinated,
and yet was puzzled.
590
01:18:12,320 --> 01:18:15,324
And so 50 years after it happened,
591
01:18:15,400 --> 01:18:20,611
Nicky finally told his wife
what he had for so long kept secret.
592
01:18:23,320 --> 01:18:25,687
I suppose there's number of things,
593
01:18:25,720 --> 01:18:28,246
which husbands don'! tell
their wives.
594
01:18:30,440 --> 01:18:33,046
And his wife went to London
595
01:18:33,080 --> 01:18:37,165
and she tried to give this story
to several people,
596
01:18:37,200 --> 01:18:40,966
but nobody was interested
until she came to me.
597
01:18:41,040 --> 01:18:45,011
I was given the scrapbook
and this list of names
598
01:18:45,080 --> 01:18:47,447
and I thought it was very moving
599
01:18:47,680 --> 01:18:53,084
because there were ordinary names
of people and Czech children,
600
01:18:53,120 --> 01:19:00,481
for instance Berman Thomas,
Bekefi Jiri, Benedict Ruth...
601
01:19:01,000 --> 01:19:03,810
and we wrote to every one of them
602
01:19:03,920 --> 01:19:09,324
and from these over 600 names
we got 250 answers.
603
01:19:09,800 --> 01:19:12,690
And most of the children
were delighted,
604
01:19:12,960 --> 01:19:18,524
they didn't know who saved them
and didn't know their own story.
605
01:19:19,120 --> 01:19:25,241
It caught the eye of Esther Rantzen
who was working for the BBC.
606
01:19:25,480 --> 01:19:30,361
So we did some search and we managed
to track down some of those children,
607
01:19:30,400 --> 01:19:33,085
now adult, living in England.
608
01:19:33,480 --> 01:19:35,562
We were absolutely thrilled.
609
01:19:35,760 --> 01:19:39,003
This lady said to me:
What's your name?
610
01:19:39,360 --> 01:19:41,886
So I said: Pinkasovic.
611
01:19:42,480 --> 01:19:46,565
When I saw my name and my brother's
name primed in this -
612
01:19:48,120 --> 01:19:51,488
the biggest shock of my life.
613
01:19:53,680 --> 01:19:59,767
I couldn't speak, I couldn't breathe,
I had goose bumps all over my arms...
614
01:20:02,040 --> 01:20:04,441
All these years, 50 years.
615
01:20:10,200 --> 01:20:13,568
Nobody knew
who masterminded our rescue
616
01:20:13,840 --> 01:20:16,889
and then, out of the blue,
617
01:20:17,040 --> 01:20:20,931
I was asked to take pan
in a television show That's Life
618
01:20:21,040 --> 01:20:23,281
where, to my joy and...
619
01:20:24,760 --> 01:20:27,366
oh such fulfillment I came lo lace,
620
01:20:27,800 --> 01:20:33,125
face to face, with the man
who saved my life.
621
01:20:34,240 --> 01:20:37,847
They got me there in a way
under false pretenses.
622
01:20:37,880 --> 01:20:42,647
Then I was sat in a seat, which was
focused on the camera and...
623
01:20:46,160 --> 01:20:48,162
I became pan of this program.
624
01:20:48,200 --> 01:20:51,647
I didn't know I was going to meet
for the first time
625
01:20:51,680 --> 01:20:55,287
the children that I brought over
so many years before.
626
01:20:55,320 --> 01:20:59,609
...who managed to save 664 children.
This is his scrapbook
627
01:20:59,640 --> 01:21:04,362
There are all sorts of fascinating
pictures in it, perhaps you can see -
628
01:21:04,400 --> 01:21:07,244
this is a picture
of Nicholas Winton himself
629
01:21:07,280 --> 01:21:09,681
with one of the children he rescued.
630
01:21:09,720 --> 01:21:13,122
If you look at the very back
of the scrapbook...
631
01:21:13,160 --> 01:21:18,326
fascinating things in it, but back
here is the list of all the children.
632
01:21:18,760 --> 01:21:22,560
This is Vera Diamant,
now Vera Gissing.
633
01:21:22,840 --> 01:21:25,411
We did find her name on his list.
634
01:21:25,520 --> 01:21:29,047
Vera Gissing is with us here tonight
- Hello Vera -
635
01:21:29,240 --> 01:21:30,844
and I should tell you
636
01:21:30,880 --> 01:21:34,566
that you are actually sitting
next to Nicholas Winton.
637
01:22:00,360 --> 01:22:02,488
Thank you.
638
01:22:03,800 --> 01:22:06,201
I wore this around my neck
639
01:22:06,400 --> 01:22:10,883
and this is the actual pass that we
were given to come to England.
640
01:22:12,000 --> 01:22:15,925
And I am another of the children
that you saved.
641
01:22:20,000 --> 01:22:23,368
Can I ask, is there anyone
in our audience tonight
642
01:22:23,400 --> 01:22:26,085
who owes their lives
to Nicholas Winton?
643
01:22:26,120 --> 01:22:29,124
If so, could you stand up, please?
644
01:23:20,920 --> 01:23:23,048
We are pan of his family.
645
01:23:23,120 --> 01:23:27,205
He has now accepted us
as a sort of the honorary father
646
01:23:27,320 --> 01:23:33,327
and he is accepting our children
as the honorary grandfather,
647
01:23:33,480 --> 01:23:37,724
hes the head, I think,
of the biggest family in the world.
648
01:23:39,440 --> 01:23:41,442
70 YEARS LATER
649
01:23:41,480 --> 01:23:45,121
When our memorial train from Prague
arrived in London,
650
01:23:45,280 --> 01:23:49,365
the man who had waited for us
at the station in 1939
651
01:23:49,400 --> 01:23:52,324
was waiting for us once again.
652
01:24:01,240 --> 01:24:06,963
This time, though, at age 100,
we knew who he was.
653
01:24:08,760 --> 01:24:12,128
It was a wonderful thing
that Nicky Winton did
654
01:24:12,680 --> 01:24:17,527
and without him nobody in this room
would be sitting here.
655
01:24:17,760 --> 01:24:21,321
I wouldn't be here,
dad wouldn't be here.
656
01:24:21,760 --> 01:24:24,764
So it's quite a wonderful thing
that he did.
657
01:24:31,600 --> 01:24:33,967
A lot of us have a feeling
658
01:24:34,000 --> 01:24:37,891
that we have to somehow
repay Winton for all what he did.
659
01:24:38,240 --> 01:24:41,483
We do it by doing work,
which is useful and good
660
01:24:41,520 --> 01:24:43,090
and help other people.
661
01:24:44,160 --> 01:24:46,970
For the last 12 years I work
as a volunteer
662
01:24:47,000 --> 01:24:50,561
at the Schneider's children's
hospital and I enjoy it.
663
01:24:52,800 --> 01:24:58,603
I did some work in research
on ballistic missiles,
664
01:24:59,120 --> 01:25:02,761
but after that
I changed my career completely.
665
01:25:04,440 --> 01:25:06,568
We built this church first
666
01:25:06,880 --> 01:25:11,090
and then a home for adults
with severe mental handicap.
667
01:25:12,200 --> 01:25:16,683
I've always felt that I owe something
to Nicky Winton,
668
01:25:16,920 --> 01:25:20,481
to my parents who were so courageous
and sent me off.
669
01:25:22,040 --> 01:25:24,850
And so I always felt I need to
help people
670
01:25:24,880 --> 01:25:27,406
and I've done that in a soup kitchen
671
01:25:27,520 --> 01:25:31,764
and throughout my life I've always
tried to be very helpful.
672
01:25:33,720 --> 01:25:38,044
I spent most of my professional
career working on semiconductors.
673
01:25:38,080 --> 01:25:41,482
We invented the thermoelectric
power generator,
674
01:25:41,520 --> 01:25:45,844
which provides electric power
to the spacecraft Voyager I and ll
675
01:25:46,000 --> 01:25:49,971
on the way to Jupiter, Saturn
and the outer planets.
676
01:26:00,000 --> 01:26:04,324
Nicky's deed is like a small stone
thrown into a small lake.
677
01:26:05,360 --> 01:26:08,409
And the ripples and the waves
from that stone
678
01:26:08,600 --> 01:26:11,729
are getting wider and wider
and wider.
679
01:26:11,920 --> 01:26:16,721
And the wider it gets, the more good
is being done in the world.
680
01:26:19,360 --> 01:26:24,764
Nicholas Winton saved grandma
and he didn't have to
681
01:26:24,800 --> 01:26:28,168
and that made me
want to help people, too.
682
01:26:30,000 --> 01:26:35,245
And I heard about people who had
cancer and lost all their hair.
683
01:26:35,880 --> 01:26:38,770
And I cut 10 inches off my hair
684
01:26:38,800 --> 01:26:43,886
and they made it into a wig
for one kid who had cancer.
685
01:26:43,920 --> 01:26:46,241
And I feel very good about doing.
686
01:26:46,280 --> 01:26:49,966
This summer, I helped organize
a peace camp for girls.
687
01:26:50,440 --> 01:26:52,568
There were 7 Jews and 7 Arabs.
688
01:26:52,600 --> 01:26:54,682
We realized that we're the same
689
01:26:54,720 --> 01:26:59,328
and that we are living in the same
place and we need to find a peace.
690
01:26:59,920 --> 01:27:04,562
Right now I have 7 new Palestinian
friends, which I very much like.
691
01:27:08,000 --> 01:27:10,731
Any young people
from different counties
692
01:27:10,760 --> 01:27:14,970
were eager to show Winton what good
they themselves were doing.
693
01:27:15,000 --> 01:27:17,571
They started filming
their activities,
694
01:27:17,600 --> 01:27:20,046
interviewing various personalities,
695
01:27:20,080 --> 01:27:24,449
all for a special program
which they will present in Prague.
696
01:27:40,800 --> 01:27:44,771
In Australia, we shipped our clothes
to people in Ecuador
697
01:27:44,800 --> 01:27:49,442
and it was nice getting letters
back from them as they were writing
698
01:27:49,480 --> 01:27:52,723
and expressing how appreciative
they were to us
699
01:27:52,760 --> 01:27:54,888
that their lives have changed.
700
01:27:54,920 --> 01:27:58,561
Winton is showing that with
perseverance and determination
701
01:27:58,600 --> 01:28:00,284
you can achieve anything.
702
01:28:03,360 --> 01:28:07,968
In Cambodia when we arrived we have
seen children dying on the street.
703
01:28:08,000 --> 01:28:12,164
Then there was no organization
helping HIV positive children.
704
01:28:12,720 --> 01:28:16,441
And we have decided that we have to
help these children.
705
01:28:16,480 --> 01:28:20,201
The problem was that everybody
was against this idea,
706
01:28:20,240 --> 01:28:25,644
saying that what two Slovak people
can do in faraway Cambodia.
707
01:28:26,080 --> 01:28:29,004
But we have decided not to give up.
708
01:28:30,600 --> 01:28:32,682
I remember Nicholas Winton said
709
01:28:32,720 --> 01:28:36,884
everything is possible
if it's fundamentally reasonable.
710
01:28:39,400 --> 01:28:43,530
All stories that help children
grow in a world,
711
01:28:43,680 --> 01:28:48,447
in which humanity is being
celebrated and inhumanity denounced -
712
01:28:48,760 --> 01:28:51,843
these stories are important.
713
01:28:53,360 --> 01:28:54,930
Everybody can help.
714
01:28:54,960 --> 01:28:57,804
Children can send their letters
to the kids
715
01:28:57,840 --> 01:29:02,129
to show them that there is somebody
faraway thinking about them.
716
01:29:03,400 --> 01:29:04,970
It's a big help.
717
01:29:07,920 --> 01:29:10,924
We have saved and treated
over 5000 children,
718
01:29:10,960 --> 01:29:13,486
but still we have
a lot of work to do.
719
01:29:15,760 --> 01:29:19,048
A lot of children
are still waiting for us.
720
01:29:23,120 --> 01:29:26,522
We need special effort to bring up
721
01:29:26,560 --> 01:29:33,091
our basic nature of human beings -
compassion.
722
01:29:35,920 --> 01:29:39,367
Here is example of Nicholas Winton -
723
01:29:39,400 --> 01:29:46,966
we should learn from his motivation
and from his courage, from his act.
724
01:29:47,520 --> 01:29:51,730
We must carry his spirit
generation to generation.
725
01:29:51,920 --> 01:29:55,447
Then humanity's future
will be brighter.
726
01:29:57,200 --> 01:30:01,569
Ladies and gentlemen,
Sir Nicholas Winton!
727
01:30:07,560 --> 01:30:10,928
We've been so much impressed
with Nicholas Winton
728
01:30:10,960 --> 01:30:14,407
that we started our project,
Suitcases for Cambodia.
729
01:30:14,520 --> 01:30:17,649
Suitcase is our symbol
of help for children.
730
01:30:25,200 --> 01:30:29,091
I think that every single person
on the Earth needs to know
731
01:30:29,120 --> 01:30:31,964
that they are special,
that they're loved.
732
01:30:36,880 --> 01:30:41,124
Nicholas Winton has influenced
so many people all over the world
733
01:30:41,160 --> 01:30:44,164
to help someone
who is very ill or in danger.
734
01:30:50,080 --> 01:30:54,927
If you have ever helped
someone in need show it now.
735
01:31:07,760 --> 01:31:12,607
You don't have to be a politician or
a millionaire to make a difference.
736
01:31:12,960 --> 01:31:16,487
All you have to have
is some ambition and courage.
737
01:31:17,600 --> 01:31:20,206
Hello, Cambodia!
738
01:32:04,120 --> 01:32:09,120
NICKY'S FAMILY
739
01:32:27,600 --> 01:32:31,047
I never thought what I did
70 years ago
740
01:32:31,200 --> 01:32:36,809
was going to have such a big impact
as apparently it has.
741
01:32:37,080 --> 01:32:39,242
And 'if it is now got a story,
742
01:32:39,320 --> 01:32:43,609
which helps people to
live for the future,
743
01:32:44,320 --> 01:32:47,449
well, that will be an added bonus.
744
01:32:57,640 --> 01:33:05,047
Everything is possible
if it's fundamentally reasonable.
745
01:33:05,080 --> 01:33:07,606
Nicholas Winton
746
01:36:58,960 --> 01:37:05,206
There are some stories
which we are not only an audience to,
747
01:37:05,240 --> 01:37:08,881
but may become their participants.
64929
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.