Figure 1.-- Gilbert's book collects the meories of this group of child survivors brought to Britain. The book advertising tells us, "'The Boys' bears witnes to the human spirit, eduring the depths, and bearing hopefully the burden and chllenge iof suyrvival."

Some 732 Jewish children who manged to survive in the NAZI concentration camps were brought to Britain after the War. fter the NAZI surrender (May 1945), the British Government offered to care for 1,000 orphans who has somehow managd to survive of the Holocaust (summer 1945). Tragically only 732 child surviviors were located. Nor only were the children particularly vulnerable, but they were especilly targeted by the Germns as 'non-workers', worthless eaters. The childre over a period of 8 months were flown from Prague in Czechoslovakia and Muninch in southern Germany. They arrivd in England (Windermere and Southmpton) as well as afew in Scotland and Northern Island. The children began calling themselves, 'The Boys", although a few girls were involved. They became over time a tight-knit group. Few outsiders could fully understood what the children experienced. Thhe Holocaust is terrible beyond imagintion, but the expeiences of the children could not be more heart wrenching. The children could talk to each other in a way that wasnot posible with others. An importnt British hisorin has told their story, "Their early childhood was spent in the towns and villages of Poland, Cechoslovakia, and Hungary, in normal children's worlds of family, friends, school and holidays. Here is a portrait of pre-War Eropean Jewry, both urban and rural, now lost. From the age of ten and even younger, to the age of fifteen and sixteen, 'The Boys were forced into torments of ghettoes, concentratin camps, slave labour camps and death marches; they exoerieced the Holocaust from a child's prospective, often witnessing at first hand the death of their parents, brothers and ssters. Their liberation ws followed by the difficult rebuilding of their lives in Britain,lives whichb had been phsically and emotionally drained by their nightmare past. Yet they drew on the strength of their group to move forward, both induividually and together. After leaving their hostels, they remained a closely knit, affectionate, devoted bnd iof brothers --and sisters . Thir families having been destroyed, they created families amongst theseselves." [Gilbert, The Boys,]

British Rescue

Some 732 Jewish children who manged to survive in the NAZI concentration camps were brought to Britain after the War. fter the NAZI surrender (May 1945), the British Government offered to care for 1,000 orphans who has somehow managd to survive of the Holocaust (summer 1945). Tragically only 732 child surviviors were located. Nor only were the children particularly vulnerable, but they were especilly targeted by the Germns as 'non-workers', worthless eaters. The childre over a period of 8 months were flown from Prague in Czechoslovakia and Muninch in southern Germany. They arrivd in England (Windermere and Southmpton) as well as afew in Scotland and Northern Island. The children began calling themselves, 'The Boys", although a few girls were involved. They became over time a tight-knit group. Few outsiders could fully understood what the children experienced. The Holocaust is terrible beyond imagintion, but the expeiences of the children could not be more heart wrenching. The children could talk to each other in a way that wasnot posible with others.

Gilbert Book

An important British hisorin has told their story, "Their early childhood was spent in the towns and villages of Poland, Cechoslovakia, and Hungary, in normal children's worlds of family, friends, school and holidays. Here is a portrait of pre-War Eropean Jewry, both urban and rural, now lost. From the age of ten and even younger, to the age of fifteen and sixteen, 'The Boys were forced into torments of ghettoes, concentratin camps, slave labour camps and death marches; they exoerieced the Holocaust from a child's prospective, often witnessing at first hand the death of their parents, brothers and ssters. Their liberation ws followed by the difficult rebuilding of their lives in Britain,lives whichb had been phsically and emotionally drained by their nightmare past. Yet they drew on the strength of their group to move forward, both induividually and together. After leaving their hostels, they remained a closely knit, affectionate, devoted bnd iof brothers --and sisters . Thir families having been destroyed, they created families amongst theseselves." [Gilbert, The Boys,]

America and Canada

A Canadian reader asks, "Were there more kids that were placed into other countries like the United States and Canada?" I think these were orphans without surviving family ties, at least that they knew of. Large numbers of Jewish and other refugees came to America and Canada after the War. Strict America immigration quotas were temporarily adjusted for them. I think that they were mostly families, or young people with relatives in America. Many Jews had relatives in America because of the large-scale emigration before World War I. I am less sure about unattached minors. I do not know of a special American program for then, but that does not mean that one did not exist. And of course, a tragically low number of these children survived the War. There was a special progrm in Canada--the War Orphans Project (1947-49). Some 1,123 Jewish orphans found refuge in Canada as a result of the program. The Canadian government required the Jewish community to assume full responsibility for their care. Finding foster homes, schooling and jobs for the orphans required a huge effort for Canada's small Jewish population.

Polish Boy

A reader writes, "I met one of the older boys from this image. I think he is in the back row third from right or very end. I cannot quite tell because his brother who was older was also in the image. His first name was Sam. I am drawing a blank on his last name. But I think it started with 'Rose'. He died in 2008 I think. He was Polish from an area of western Poland that was part of Germany before World War I and annexed by Germany after the invasion and defeat of Poland (September 1939). He was about 10 years old or so. In School, he was quickly rounded up and wound up at a Jewish only school, then moved into a ghetto school and then no school at all. Soon after that he was transported to a concentration camp. I know they did not know about the gas chamber they were kids and did not know what to expect. He may have recalled the selection process but he did not share it with me. He was spared death because he looked old enough to work. He was moved to various small concentration camps and work camps. As the Red Army entered Poland, the Germans forced survivors in their concentrtion camps in Poland such as Auschwitz on death marches back to the Reich. He finally reached Dachau. (I do not know much more but I will verify if my memory is correct. Maybe it was a different famous concentration camp.) He was 16 years old when he was rescued and brought to Britain. He was worried that his age would result in no help at all. So he assisted all the boys the best he could. Then to escape the memory he came to the America at age 18 years or so."

Sources

Gilbert, Martin. The Boys. Sir Martin has wrote extesivey ion the Holocaust,Churchill, and Workd War II. Gilbert's book collects the meories of this group of child survivors brought to Britain. The book advertising tlls us, "The Boys bears witnes to the human spirit, eduring the depths, and bearing hopefully the burden and chllenge of survival."

Created: 10:17 PM 2/7/2013
Last updated: 10:17 PM 2/7/2013