Holocaust survivor George Shefi recently retraced his escape from Nazi Germany, 85 years after the event took place. At the age of six, George witnessed the aftermath of the Nazi pogroms in November 1938, seeing anti-Semitic graffiti, broken glass, and destroyed Jewish-owned shops. His mother made the difficult decision to send him on the British Kindertransport, and he was one of around 10,000 mostly Jewish children evacuated to the UK. Now 92 years old, George returned to Berlin to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the pogroms and revisit the places of his childhood escape. His journey serves as a reminder of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and the importance of education to prevent such events from happening again.
The November pogroms, also known as Kristallnacht, marked a turning point in Nazi persecution of Jews. The anti-Semitic violence and destruction of synagogues and Jewish-owned properties made it clear to German Jews that they were not safe. Many Jewish parents, including George’s mother Marie, made the agonizing decision to send their children away to safety. Marie managed to secure a place for George on the Kindertransport, despite the risks and challenges. She sent him off with the promise of an adventure and a better life in another country.
However, the reality for many Kindertransport children was far from ideal. George describes the arrival in England as traumatic, as they were selected by foster families they had never met, sometimes suffering from lack of communication due to language barriers. The process of placement was often arbitrary, and some children experienced emotional or physical abuse from their foster families. The Kindertransport scheme was supported by the British government, but it relied on NGO funding, donations, and volunteers.
George’s mother Marie did not survive the Holocaust. She was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1943 and was murdered shortly after her arrival. This tragic fate was shared by many parents who were separated from their children and left behind in Germany.
Returning to Berlin, George visits the site of his former school, now commemorated with memorial stones for the local Jewish people who were killed during the Holocaust. He speaks to German schoolchildren about his experiences, reminding them of the horrors inflicted upon innocent lives in the past. The students express their empathy and give George a small gift, a fragment of tile from his burnt-down school building.
The journey of George and other survivors is seen as a significant event, particularly in the current context of rising anti-Semitism and hatred around the world. The organizers of the trip, such as Scott Saunders from March of the Living UK, emphasize the importance of standing up against hatred in all forms and ensuring that the atrocities of the past are never repeated.
Despite the trauma and loss he endured, George considers himself fortunate in life. He emphasizes the people who helped him and the support he received, allowing him to reach the age of 92. He has made it his mission to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and has returned to Berlin many times with his family to share their story.
George’s journey and his ultimate victory over Hitler through his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren serve as a powerful testament to resilience and the importance of preserving history. This story highlights the need to educate future generations about the Holocaust and the consequences of hatred, promoting a world that says “never again” to such atrocities.
