Ex-RoNiN 0 Posted January 1, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">A 93-year-old man who saved the lives of nearly 700 Jewish children by smuggling them out of Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia is to receive a knighthood. Nicholas Winton, a former Stock Exchange clerk from Maidenhead, Berkshire, was rewarded in the Queen's New Year Honours List published on Tuesday. There are believed to be more than 5,000 "Winton children" descended from the 669 children he helped escape Prague for Britain in 1939. His heroics earned him the nickname "Britain's Schindler" - a reference to German Oskar Schindler, who saved more than 1,000 Jews. But his feat was secret for nearly 50 years, until a chance discovery by his wife Greta, who died three years ago. She found an old leather briefcase in the attic containing lists of children and letters from their parents. Sir Nicholas said: "I'm surprised to have been recognised for something I did 65 years ago. "To be honest, I'm finding it all a little difficult and am somewhat embarrassed by all the fuss. "The chief people who will be delighted by this are the 'children' - mostly grandparents themselves now. "I have had calls today from many of them in this country and one in Prague." Missing children At the outbreak of the war, as a 30-year-old clerk at the London stock exchange, he visited Prague and helped in the refugee camps. Concerned at the plight of the children, he set up an office in his hotel in Prague and parents came to him to register their children. He persuaded the Home Office in London to issue visas, found foster families and a Å50 guarantee for each child, plus money for transport. In nine months, 669 children escaped on eight trains from Prague to London. A ninth train holding 250 children was to leave on 3 September, 1939, the day Britain declared war on Germany. But it never left the station and the children were never seen again. Sir Nicholas recently said: "We had 250 families waiting at Liverpool Street that day in vain. "If the train had been a day earlier, it would have come through. "Not a single one of those children was heard of again, which is an awful feeling." 'He saved my life' Almost none of the parents of the rescued children survived the Nazi onslaught, which killed more than 15,000 Czech children. Sir Nicholas once said: "I just saw what was going on and did what I could to help." He added: "It was a lot of hard work, but it wasn't difficult." Vera Gissing, one of the children saved by Sir Nicholas, and who wrote a biography and film about him, said recently: "I owe him my life and those of my children and grandchildren." The documentary film Nicholas J Winton - the Power of Good, was shown in September 2001 in Prague, where Sir Nicholas met 250 of those he saved. At London's special screening, he was presented with a letter of tribute from Prime Minister Tony Blair. Sir Nicholas was made an MBE in 1983 for his charitable work with the elderly, particularly the establishment of the Abbeyfield homes. In October 1998 Vaclav Havel, the Czech president, awarded him the Order of TG Masaryk in a ceremony at Hradcany Castle. <span id='postcolor'> I am raising my glass to Sir Nicholas J Winton, hero of Great Britain, hero of the Czech Republic, hero of humanity May his great deeds inspire others Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DracoPaladore 0 Posted January 1, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Ex-RoNiN @ Jan. 01 2003,05:04)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I am raising my glass to Sir Nicholas J Winton, hero of Great Britain, hero of the Czech Republic, hero of humanity May his great deeds inspire others <span id='postcolor'> I second that! *raises glass* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FSPilot 0 Posted January 1, 2003 Hats off to a hero. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theavonlady 2 Posted January 1, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">"Britain's Schindler"<span id='postcolor'> What a pity we all don't know him as Britain's Winton. That is, after all, his name. Thank you, Sir Nicholas! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted January 1, 2003 Didn't they make a movie about this? It's called "shindler's .....", not sure what the full name is... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theavonlady 2 Posted January 1, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 01 2003,17:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Didn't they make a movie about this? Â It's called "shindler's .....", not sure what the full name is...<span id='postcolor'> Schindler's List. That is not the story of Sir Nicholas Winton. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted January 1, 2003 Yeah that's the name, it could be that guy, the story is similiar and it both really happened. Oh well, it was a pretty good guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Llauma 0 Posted January 1, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 01 2003,17:05)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Yeah that's the name, it could be that guy, the story is similiar and it both really happened. Oh well, it was a pretty good guess.<span id='postcolor'> Just read the first post... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-TU--33ker 0 Posted January 1, 2003 Chapeau Sir Nicholas! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sadico 1 Posted January 1, 2003 Congratulations, Sir Nicholas Winton! Let's all raise our glasses!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted January 1, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Llauma @ Dec. 31 2002,18:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">5--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 01 2003,175)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Yeah that's the name, it could be that guy, the story is similiar and it both really happened. Oh well, it was a pretty good guess.<span id='postcolor'> Just read the first post... Â <span id='postcolor'> I can't, it's too long! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theavonlady 2 Posted January 2, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 02 2003,00:27)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I can't, it's too long!<span id='postcolor'> Nothing negative intended but is it ADD? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted January 2, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Jan. 01 2003,10:21)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 02 2003,00:27)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I can't, it's too long!<span id='postcolor'> Nothing negative intended but is it ADD? <span id='postcolor'> Hell no, i'm just too lazy! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theavonlady 2 Posted January 2, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 02 2003,11:55)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Jan. 01 2003,10:21)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 02 2003,00:27)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I can't, it's too long!<span id='postcolor'> Nothing negative intended but is it ADD? <span id='postcolor'> Hell no, i'm just too lazy! <span id='postcolor'> Oh, so you suffer from LAX. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted January 2, 2003 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Jan. 01 2003,12:10)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 02 2003,11:55)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Jan. 01 2003,10:21)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DarkLight @ Jan. 02 2003,00:27)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I can't, it's too long!<span id='postcolor'> Nothing negative intended but is it ADD? <span id='postcolor'> Hell no, i'm just too lazy! <span id='postcolor'> Oh, so you suffer from LAX. <span id='postcolor'> I suffer from the lazy ass syndrom... If you want to support me, contact me with a PM, i'll give you the number of my bank account so you can give some money. Thank you, God bless all of you... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
