The Kindertransport 1938/39: History and Memory of a British Phenomenon

During the last decade and especially during the time of its seventieth anniversary the Kindertransport has received increasing public attention in Britain, manifesting itself in TV programmes, films, newspaper articles and the unveiling of public monuments. This project by Dr Andrea Hammel investigate the history and memory of the former members of the Kindertransport  who are –according to the historian Tony Kushner – the most comprehensively documented group of refugees who have entered Britain.

The term Kindertransport is usually applied to the rescue of nearly 10,000 unaccompanied minors with Jewish backgrounds from Germany and Austria to Britain between December 1938 and the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. Employing socio-historical methods as well as cultural criticism, this study will look at archival records, autobiographical material and media representations. The project seeks to bring together several strands of research: (a) the history of National Socialist emigration policy and its effect on the development of the Kindertransport, (b) the history of British immigration policy and its effect on the admission of the children to Britain, (c) the memorialisation of the Kindertransport through autobiographical documents, the organisation of events and public memorials, as well as (d) a discussion of the Kindertransport in British historiography and public consciousness.

The project is supported by the Claims Conference and the British Academy.