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Essay On Kinder

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Between December 1, 1938-September 1, 1939, nearly 10,000 unaccompanied, predominately Jewish children made their way from Nazi occupied territories to the U.K. In 1933, Hitler and the Nazi party took control in interwar Germany. Immediately they began to restrict the civil rights of Jews and other non-Aryan citizens in their country. The following essay will address the major themes that occurred in the lives of the kinder. The experiences as child refugees in Great Britain had a significant impact on the way kinder established national identity, dealt with the question of religion, and approached relationships with family members. The kinder transport took place between December 1, 1938 and September 1, 1939, ending with the outbreak of …show more content…

Those who were to be adopted after arrival were displayed for potential families to view, much like material goods would be bought and sold. The experiences of the kinder, once in Great Britain, varied. While some were well cared for by foster families, or relatives, others were abused, shuttled between families, or interned as enemy aliens. The younger children attended school, while the older found work; some chose a trade while others served the British war effort. Contact with the family members who remained in Germany, Austria, and in the Czech lands ceased after the outbreak of the war in September 1939. There was simply not a way to get letters into Nazi Germany. For many, it was the end of the war in 1945 before the fate of family members reached Great Britain and the majority of the kinder were the sole survivors of the Holocaust. Personal accounts and surveys have shown that after the war, many refugees decided not to return to the countries from where they had fled as children. Some remained in Great Britain, while others emigrated to the United States, Israel, and abroad. Many of the kinder married and built families; others went on to have successful careers in academia and politics. While the children saved by the kinder transport had different experiences following the end of WWII, certain patterns emerge from

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