The Kindertransport

The Kindertransport was a plan to help save children from the Nazis. From 1938 to 1939, Children, ages 5-17, rode trains to England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland where they stayed in foster homes, schools, farms and orphanages. Each child was given 50 pounds (about $1,500 today) for their provisions. About 10,000 children were saved by the Kindertransport. Yet, 1.6 million children were killed during the Holocaust. Close to 1/3 of the children on the Kindertransport were non-Jewish.

The parents of the Kinder were separated from their children for around six years, but most of the parents died at concentration camps. Over 4/5 of the children never saw their parents again! Some parents moved to the US or Canada. The children traveled to America later. About 20-25% of the Kinder were estimated to have immigrated to America or Canada. There are still survivors of the Holocaust, that escaped through the Kindertransport, living today.


The KTA (KinderTransport Association) is an organization made up of the Kinder from the Kindertransport 60 years ago. It was founded in 1989. They inform others what the Holocaust was and how people were greatly affected by it. This group also helps needy children.


Movies have been made about the Kindertransport. "Into the Arms of Strangers" is a movie based on the real life experiences of the Kinder. It is accompanied by a book called Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport. The movie's producer, Deborah Oppenheimer, is also executive producer on ABC's "The Drew Carey Show" and "Norm."



This is a picture of young boys leaving Vienna in 1938.

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The above picture labeled "leaving Vienna..." is from www.kindertransport.org