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Kinder statue unveiling

posted 22 Nov 2011

Supported by the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), a statue dedicated to the Kindertransport was unveiled at a moving ceremony in the Hook of Holland at the end of November. Designed by internationally acclaimed sculptor Frank Meisler, Channel Crossing to Life, commemorates the role played by Dutch people in helping to save the lives of Jewish children fleeing Nazi oppression.

Kinder who now live in Germany, Switzerland, USA and Israel as well as a group of 15 AJR members from the UK, joined school children from the Hook of Holland, who carried lanterns lighting the path to the statue and presented Kinder with roses.

After speeches from Frank Meisler and the Mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb, Sir Erich Reich, Chairman of the AJR Kindertransport committee, gave thanks to the Dutch people who helped ensure the safe passage of the children to Britain. Speaking ahead of the unveiling Sir Erich said, “This statue is a fitting memorial dedicated to all those who perished at the hands of the Nazis and will be a permanent reminder of the continuing need to fight intolerance, racism and anti-Semitism”.

Guests at the unveiling included the Vice President of the Bundestag, Petra Pau, and the families of Kinder including their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The date of the unveiling was also symbolic, marking the eve of the 73rd anniversary of the first Kindertransport that left Europe.

Frank Meisler has also created statues commemorating the Kindertransport at Liverpool Street station in London, at Gdansk in Poland and at Berlin's Friedrichstrasse station.

AJR member Professor Leslie Baruch Brent, who attended the unveiling, gave an address at the opening of the plenary of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research which was meeting in The Hague the same week.