Nicholas Winton (born Nicholas George Wertheim; 19 May 1909 – 1 July 2015) was a British humanitarian best known for arranging the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from German‑occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938–39. The operation, often called the Czech Kindertransport, brought children to safety in Britain before the outbreak of the Second World War and later became a widely recounted example of individual initiative against persecution. He has sometimes been referred to in the press as the "British Schindler" for the scale and moral clarity of his actions. Biography

Early life and context

Winton was born in Hampstead, London, into a family of German Jewish origin. His family later converted to Christianity and he was baptised; these details shaped his early identity and networks. As a young man he was educated in England and began studies at Stowe School in 1923. The political upheavals in central Europe during the 1930s, the Munich Agreement and the increasing peril for Jews and other refugees set the scene for his later efforts. Hampstead family background

The rescue effort

In late 1938 Winton travelled to Prague and, working with local contacts and refugee organisations, began to organise a series of transports to Britain. He arranged travel documents, found hosts and guarantors, raised funds and negotiated with officials at a time when visas and paperwork were often the only barrier between safety and deportation. In total he is credited with enabling the evacuation of 669 children from zones under growing Nazi control. For decades his activities remained largely private until a scrapbook detailing those efforts was discovered and publicised in 1988, after which Winton was invited to take part in televised reunions with many of those he had helped. Czechoslovakia Kindertransport 1938 transport

The operation was not a single train or moment but a series of carefully arranged departures, paperwork and placement of children with British foster families and institutions. Winton worked with colleagues in London and Prague to secure guarantees and to meet British immigration rules of the time, often paying or raising money to cover costs. His combination of administrative skill, personal courage and persistence is frequently cited by historians as a model of private rescue amid state failure. rescue organising fundraising foster families

Recognition, legacy and later life

After his story emerged in the late 20th century, Winton received wide public attention and numerous honours. He took part in reunions and interviews, and his work became the subject of documentaries, books and school curricula emphasising rescue and moral choice under oppressive regimes. Winton married Grete Gjelstrup in 1948 and they had three children. He lived a long life, continuing to speak about the children he had helped and the responsibilities of citizens to protect the vulnerable. recognition documentaries books education

Winton died on 1 July 2015 in Slough, Berkshire, aged 106, from respiratory failure. His story remains a prominent example in discussions of refugee policies, humanitarian action and the capacity of individuals to affect many lives in times of crisis. Institutions, memorials and family accounts continue to preserve the memory of the rescued children and the networks that enabled their survival. marriage death Slough legacy

Notable facts

  • Number of children assisted: 669, primarily from territories threatened by Nazi policies.
  • Secrecy: Winton did not publicise the rescue work for decades; discovery of his records brought wider attention.
  • Practical methods: arranging visas, transport, guarantors and foster placements were central to the operation.
  • Enduring impact: the Czech Kindertransport is used in education about refugees, ethics and 20th‑century history.