Overview

In 1938 and 1939, some 10,000 children and young people fled to the UK to escape Nazi persecution. Known as the ‘Kindertransport’, this effort has long been hailed as a wartime success story – but there are uncomfortable truths at its heart. The Kindertransport was a complex visa waiver scheme, and its organizers did not necessarily act with altruism. The British government required a guarantee to indemnify itself against any expenses, and refused to admit the child refugees’ parents. The selection criteria prioritized those who were likely to make the best contribution to society, rather than the most urgent cases. And some children and young people were placed in unsuitable homes, where many arrangements irrevocably broke down. Written with striking empathy and insight, Andrea Hammel’s expert analysis casts new light on what really happened during the Kindertransport. Revelatory and impassioned, this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the history of migration and refugees, and offers thought-provoking lessons for how we might make life easier for children fleeing conflict today.

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9781509553778

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Reviews

‘Andrea Hammel’s overview of the Kindertransport is a remarkable achievement. With compassion and sensitivity, the author has managed to convey the full complexities of the scheme and has put at the forefront the experiences of these Jewish refugee children which ranged from love and understanding to economic and sexual abuse.’ Tony Kushner, Parkes Institute, University of Southampton ‘An impressively well researched account that is at once fascinating and deeply moving. Hammel skilfully balances compassion and insight to lay bare the detail of the Kindertransport in a remarkably detailed and nuanced way. It is sure to become a definitive text on the subject.’ James Bulgin, Head of Public History, Imperial War Museums ‘The Kindertransport…has always been regarded as a symbol of British generosity towards those in peril and seeking asylum. But it was all rather more complicated, as Andrea Hammel sets out to show.’ The Spectator ‘Andrea Hammel aims to dig deeper and remind the world that the story does not quite sparkle as brightly as some, particularly successive British governments, have wished to portray.’ The Irish Times ‘a model for good history writing... Hammel takes nothing for granted but examines all aspects with relentless precision. She gives us a welcome guide to critical thinking along with a compelling story.’ New York Journal of Books

‘Andrea Hammel’s overview of the Kindertransport is a remarkable achievement. With compassion and sensitivity, the author has managed to convey the full complexities of the scheme and has put at the forefront the experiences of these Jewish refugee children which ranged from love and understanding to economic and sexual abuse.’ Tony Kushner, Parkes Institute, University of Southampton ‘An impressively well researched account that is at once fascinating and deeply moving. Hammel skilfully balances compassion and insight to lay bare the detail of the Kindertransport in a remarkably detailed and nuanced way. It is sure to become a definitive text on the subject.’ James Bulgin, Head of Public History, Imperial War Museums ‘The Kindertransport…has always been regarded as a symbol of British generosity towards those in peril and seeking asylum. But it was all rather more complicated, as Andrea Hammel sets out to show.’ The Spectator ‘Andrea Hammel aims to dig deeper and remind the world that the story does not quite sparkle as brightly as some, particularly successive British governments, have wished to portray.’ The Irish Times

‘Andrea Hammel’s overview of the Kindertransport is a remarkable achievement. With compassion and sensitivity, the author has managed to convey the full complexities of the scheme and has put at the forefront the experiences of these Jewish refugee children which ranged from love and understanding to economic and sexual abuse.’ Tony Kushner, Parkes Institute, University of Southampton ‘An impressively well researched account that is at once fascinating and deeply moving. Hammel skilfully balances compassion and insight to lay bare the detail of the Kindertransport in a remarkably detailed and nuanced way. It is sure to become a definitive text on the subject.’ James Bulgin, Head of Public History, Imperial War Museums

Author Information

Andrea Hammel is Professor of German and the Director of the Centre for the Movement of People at Aberystwyth University.

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