World
Winton honoured in Prague by child refugees he saved
A street has been named after the hero who saved hundreds of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czecheslovakia
September 4, 2024 08:34
A street has been named after the hero who saved hundreds of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czecheslovakia
September 4, 2024 08:34A new street in Prague has been named in honour of Sir Nicholas Winton who saved hundreds of children from Nazi-occupied Czecheslovakia.
Some of the ‘Kinder’ saved by Sir Nicholas attended the naming ceremony, along with a delegation from the Association of Jewish Refugees.
The naming of the street was initiated by the Prague 7 municipal district in cooperation with the Memorial of Silence and with the support of the AJR and the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic.
Alexandra Greensted, Lady Grenfell-Baines MBE, Petr Schiller and Rev. John Fieldsend BEM were among the former refugees who were there alongside members of the Winton family.
The street's renaming coincides with the 85th anniversary of the last planned Winton train, which intended to carry children to safety, but was prevented from doing so, due to the outbreak of World War II on that very day. Its participants later boarded Deutsche Bahn trains, which deported them to Nazi concentration camps from Bubny station.
Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines who travelled from Prague to the UK, as an unaccompanied child said: “It is deeply moving to be standing here in Prague alongside fellow Winton children, 85-years since the Nazis tore our worlds apart. It was through the resourceful and courageous actions of Sir Nicholas Winton and colleagues, that so many Czech Jews were given the chance to make a new life in Great Britain. So today, together with The Association of Jewish Refugees, we are filled with pride to pay tribute to our saviour and a great sadness for those we had to leave behind.
Prague residents have long-awaited the connection between Letná and Holešovice. As part of the ongoing modernisation of the railway, a pedestrian and cyclists' overpass has been created, which connects Veletržní and Dělnická Street and significantly shortened the journey between the two districts.
The new thoroughfare connects Veletržní and Dělnická Streets and follows the route of the former Prague Jewish transports to the ghettos and concentration camps from Bubny railway station. In addition, the street will be crossed by a railway corridor, following the route of the former Jewish deportations. The street bypassing the Bubny station will commemorate the stories and experiences of the child refugees, who fled Nazi-occupied Czechoslavakia, via the Kindertransport and the brave families who made the decision to send their children to Britain.
Jan Čižinský, Mayor of Prague 7 commented: "In Prague 7 we are very proud that a street in our area can bear the name of this exceptional personality. At the same time, the connection between Holešovice and Letná, which we have been striving for a very long time, is the best gift for this year's 140th anniversary of Prague 7. Today, a temporary pedestrian and cyclist passage is being opened here, but later, when a new city district will be built around it, it will be replaced by a full-fledged street, which will symbolically lead past the Prague-Bubny railway station, the Memorial of Silence and the statue of the Gate of Infinity. All these places are a permanent reminder of the dark side of world history, but also of the heroism, courage and humility of people like Sir Nicholas Winton"
Michael Newman, CEO Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) said: "It is a great honour for the Association of Jewish Refugees to bring together four Winton Kinder, their families as well as several other descendants to attend this poignant dedication to Sir Nicholas Winton. It is hugely symbolic that his endeavours are recognised and celebrated as well as to acknowledge the heroism of many others with whom he worked. In remembering Sir Nicholas, we also honour the parents who sent away their children to an uncertain future as well as the foster families who gave sanctuary to the youngest victims of Nazi oppression. It is our fervent hope that this memorial will educate and instil in all audiences this vital history, and that the salvation of the Kindertransport will never again be needed."
Petr Papoušek, chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic said: "Naming a street after Sir Nicholas Winton is not only a tribute to his legacy, but also a clear reminder of the values we must constantly uphold – compassion, courage and justice"
Jiří Svoboda, director general of the railway’s construction contractor said: “The place through which the newly built street passes carries an important historical legacy, and I am glad that it will be preserved thanks to its name. The second objective that has been achieved here is to connect the city. We are systematically thinking about this in our projects. The role of the railway is to connect people, not to divide them. For more than a hundred years the railway has been a barrier in this place, and that is changing today. I look forward to next year, when we will complete our efforts with the opening of the new Bubny station. This has the ambition to become the centre of the whole future district"