Members of The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) and their descendants were welcomed at Mansion House, over eight decades after the Kindertransport mission brought young victims of

Nazi terror to safety in Great Britain.

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of the City of London paid tribute to the former refugees and their dramatic escape.

Two of the Kinder in attendance, Renate Collins and Alexandra Greensted, were rescued by Sir Nicholas Winton, who was instrumental in the rescue of 669 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, a story recently depicted in the film ‘One Life’. Also present were Alice Hubbers, soon to celebrate her 100th birthday, as well as Alfred Kessler, John Farago, Kurt Eichner, and Maria Ault, who met King Charles III at an AJR Kristallnacht commemorative event last year.

Addressing the Kinder, Lady Mayoress Elisabeth Mainelli stated, “From its earliest beginnings, the City of London has welcomed people of all faiths, beliefs, and nationalities – many fleeing persecution at home. The City played an important role in the Kindertransport story. Children arrived at Liverpool Street Station to begin their new lives in the UK, and Sir Nicholas Winton worked on the London Stock Exchange. It was an honor to welcome Kinder and their descendants to the mayoral residence in this 85th anniversary year: an opportunity to remember their bravery and celebrate their lives and legacies. We are proud of the City’s Jewish heritage and, through the City Belonging Project, continue to celebrate it.”

Danny Kalman, AJR’s Kindertransport Chair, added, “We are thankful to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress for hosting the Kinder today. It seems fitting that only a short walk from here, at Liverpool Street Station, so many of those children started new lives, after unimaginable journeys against the backdrop of oppression, displacement, and war. It’s testament to their parents’ brave decision to send their precious offspring into the unknown for a chance of freedom that we see three generations of descendants here today. A chink of light in one of the darkest chapters in history and emblematic of AJR’s growing next generation membership, who enroll with us to celebrate and preserve their family heritage.”

As part of the visit, the Kinder were treated to a guided tour of Mansion House, learned about The Freedom of the City, and viewed memorabilia relating to Sir Nicholas Winton. They also discovered more about the history of Jewish migration in the City of London.

The event at Mansion House was part of AJR’s nine-month program of landmark events commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Kindertransport. Events included arranging for King Charles III to meet with the Kinder last November as well as receptions hosted by the German and Austrian Ambassadors.

Through the Kindertransport (Children’s Transport), approximately 10,000 children, the majority of whom were Jewish, were rescued from Nazi-controlled territories during the nine months preceding the outbreak of World War II. Photo by Wjh31, Wikimedia commons.