Grandad recreates escape from Nazis
A grandfather saved from Nazis by the Kindertransport rescue effort almost 80 years ago has described himself as “a lucky guy” after retracing his escape route with his son and grandson.
Paul Alexander was just 18 months old when he joined the thousands of children fleeing persecution just before the Second World War broke out.
Britain took in 10,000 Jewish children who had left their families behind in Germany, Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia between 1938 and 1939.
The World Jewish Relief charity organised a bike ride tracing the route they took to mark 80 years since the rescue began.
A group of 42 people including Mr Alexander, his son Nadav and grandson Daniel, set off last Sunday morning from Friedrichstrasse Station in Berlin where the first train departed in 1938.
They cycled to the Hook of Holland before taking a ferry to Harwich in Essex, arriving at London Liverpool Street Station.
Mr Alexander, 80, from Israel, was just a baby when his mother handed him to a British volunteer nurse.
He was reunited with his parents when he was about four or five and lived in London until he was 24.
Mr Alexander said: “I have to thank the British people for allowing 10,000 children in unaccompanied.”