Discussion: 'Britain's Schindler,' Who Saved Hundreds Of Jewish Children, Dies At 106

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Discussion for article #238072

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Whoever saves one life saves the world entire. God bless his soul.

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Stories like this one are so important. They remind all of us (especially when we are frustrated that nothing will ever change) that one person can make a difference.

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What a lovely, modest man. RIP

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These stories are always moving to tears, and almost always are these humanitarian giants at the same time modest to a fault. I don’t know how often I have read “I didn’t think it special, it was just what any human being would have done” - only the other human beings didn’t do it, they just looked on or they were the criminals in the story.

If a historian may correct one tiny little aspect of the story: I think it is not quite the proper comparison to use Schindler. Schindler tried to save lives by claiming them for work purposes. Sir Nicholas seems to be more along the lines of a British “Varian Fry” or “Hiram Bingham”, i.e. non-Germans who tried to help persecuted refugees to flee from Nazi Europe.

This is a minor point, just for historical accuracy. Unlike Fry or Schindler, Sir Nicholas is apparently not on the list of the “Righteous Among the Nations”. He should be.

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¨The largest evacuation was scheduled for Sept. 3, 1939, the day that Britain declared war on Germany. That train never left, and almost none of the 250 children trying to flee on it survived the war.¨

He also acknowledged that not all the children who made it to Britain were well-treated in their foster homes. Some British foster parents used the children as cheap domestic servants.

“I wouldn’t claim that it was 100 percent successful. But I would claim that everybody who came over was alive at the end of the war,” he was quoted as saying in the book “Into the Arms of Strangers.”
"Maybe a lot more could have been done. But much more time would have been needed, much more help would have been needed from other countries, much more money would have been needed, much more organization,"Winton later said.

Sad, to do so much for so many, and still wonder if you could have done more.

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In the last scene of Schindler’s list Oskar Schindler breaks down when he contemplates that he could have saved a few more people if he had only sold his expensive car or his other possessions. That was the moment when I cried in the movie theater (first and last time ever while watching a movie).

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It had to have been the common reaction for all of these wonderful people, considering the scale of the Holocaust.

Or the fire fighter who saves one child, but can’t save another, for that matter…

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Watch ‘Nicky’s Children’ I guarantee you will cry at the end.

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Now THAT was a heroic life.

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A great man, an ethical hero, and an exemplar of the best of humanity.

Rest in Peace, Nicholas Winton.

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What a wonderful soul and he lived a long womderful life as his reward. I remember seeing a 60 Minutes story on him many years ago when he was in his lste 90s and he was delightful. R.i. P

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Yes, I heard of this man some time ago. Again, made me tear up.

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Thanks for the tip. I shall watch it.

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It’s called Nicky’s Family. Netflix has it for streaming. And you are absolutely right. (I cried nearly start to finish, and the ending was devastating.)

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That’s outrageous, especially if it’s still true. Just outrageous.

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I read the book, cried over it, and passed it along. Bought extra copies for friends and family.

The movie, on the other hand, bore every one of Spielberg’s hallmarks, including: every scene stretched beyond its limit; ham-handed camera work—and gadawful, bombastic music—instructing the viewer how to feel at all times; and out-of-control mawkishness. It is, by far, the worst movie I have ever sat through to the end.* (I left The Color Purple as soon as the muddy boots hit the table in closeup—complete with exaggerated thud. It was at the WGA theater, so I got a bit of flack from my brother because my sister might have been embarrassed if a friend or colleague saw me leave. But no way was I staying.)

.* And I sat through all of Forrest Gump, god help me. I can’t believe that I did, in retrospect.

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It seems that sometimes the good don’t die young. I hope his final years were filled with peace and joy.

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