Jewish children from Czechoslovakia were saved when Nicholas Winton, a young British stockbroker, arranged for families to take the children back in England. Between March and August of 1939, trains carried 669 children to safety. Another 250 were to leave on September 1st--the day Hitler invaded Poland--and were prevented by the Nazis. But for those who were saved, his work made all the difference.
In other countries, refugee organisations had begun organising the "Kindertransports" - a series of trains carrying thousands of Jewish children out of central Europe. But no such plan existed in Czechoslovakia.
After visiting refugee camps outside Prague, Winton realised he had to act quickly.
"I found out the children of refugees and other groups of people who were enemies of Hitler weren't being looked after. I decided to try to get permits to Britain for them.
"Everybody in Prague said, 'Look, there is no organisation in Prague to deal with refugee children, nobody will let the children go on their own, but if you want to have a go, have a go'.
"And I think there is nothing that can't be done if it is fundamentally reasonable."
Many ordinary people did extraordinary things during World War II that saved lives. This kind of quiet heroism is always present in some amount through wars, famines, disasters, etc. from time immemorial through today, and it is one facet that reminds us of the beauty and good of humanity, especially in contrast to the darker aspects.
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