Winton's Children

[Christine Animal]

There was a programme on late last night on French television about the hundreds of children rescued from Czechoslovakia  and transported to Britain just before World War II.  I expect you all know about Sir Nicholas Winton, but I had never heard this story before.  It showed mothers bravely kissing their children goodbye, trying to smile and pointing them in the direction they should go, knowing they would never see them again.  It's difficult to imagine what these parents went through before being transported away themselves, never to be seen again.  The last 250 fifty children were about to leave with all their papers ready and foster families waiting when war broke out and they couldn't go.  None of them survived.

Through their life, none of the children knew who had come to their rescue and Nicky Winton had not told anyone about what he had done to save them, not even his wife, until one day in 1988 she found a case in the attic containing a scrapbook and lists of all the children.  What an incredible man, what an incredible story, what a deeply moving programme.

 

In 1939, Winton wrote in a letter that there was "a difference between passive goodness and active goodness."

"The latter is, in my opinion, the giving of one's time and energy in the alleviation of pain and suffering," he said. "It entails going out, finding and helping those who are suffering and in danger, and not merely in leading an exemplary life, in a purely passive way of doing no wrong."

 

Such a wonderful man, if only there were more Nicky Wintons.

http://www.just-powell.co.uk/winton/

[Frenchie]

Christin, I didn't know much about this story . it seems very moving.

It s the week end, I will take the time to read more about it.. ( inspite of 2 vide greniers!!)

 Thanks for posting..

May the past inspire us never to be intolerant or stupid.....