Former mayor shares proud story of her heroic grandfather who saved hundreds of children from Nazis
A former county mayor has been researching her hero grandfather's work saving hundreds of children from the Nazis in the Second World War.
It is 85 years since the launch of the Kindertransport project, recently depicted in the film One Life, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins.
He plays British humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton, who helped bring groups of Jewish and other endangered children out of German-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938-39.
Another man who played a major part in saving many children was Alan Overton, the grandfather of former Shrewsbury mayor Jane Mackenzie.
She has delved deep into the history to share his fascinating story.
"You may have seen the recently released film One Life," she said.
"My grandfather worked with Sir Nicholas Winton (Nicky) and several others, to bring children into Great Britain from war-torn Europe.
"I had the honour of spending the day with Nicky about twenty years ago and he told me that they had worked together on saving Czech children, but that my grandfather had also saved hundreds of Austrian and German children.
"In fact, in the ten years before war broke out in September 1939, my grandfather had been raising concerns with politicians, government organisations and the public, about the growing threat of Nazi Germany and their increasingly extreme anti-Jewish racist laws.
"Sadly, it fell on deaf ears."
She added: "After the horrors of Kristallnacht on November 9/10 1938, when German Nazis attacked Jewish citizens and their property, murdering and imprisoning hundreds of them, my grandfather was flooded with desperate letters from Germany and Austria. These would simply be addressed to 'Overton, Rugby, England'.
"Each letter pleaded for him to help their children to escape, often including photos of their children - some only babies.
"The following month a scheme was set up by the British Government to allow 10,000 unaccompanied refugee children to settle in this country, this became known as the Kindertransport.
"However, the Government demanded that in order for each child to be released, a guarantee of £50 had to be raised in the UK to pay for their care. This is equivalent of over £2,000 in today’s money.
"My grandfather worked tirelessly to raise this money, giving public talks, persuading organisations to donate and passionately pleading with the British public to show compassion for these children.
"On numerous occasions, my grandfather drove down to Liverpool Street station to pick up the newly arrived, traumatised children, and take them to their foster homes. When he saw that families were more reluctant to take teenage boys in, he set up a hostel in Rugby to home these Jewish refugees."
To read more of Jane's research you can visit www.u3a.org.uk/learning/national-programmes/kindertransport-memories?view=article&id=1215.
Alan Overton also features in the book Get the Children Out! Unsung Heroes of the Kindertransport by Mike Levy.
Jane is also appealing for information if anyone knows any more about her grandfather or the Kindertransport project to get in touch with her. You can email her on separatetables@gmail.com.
