The Boys (Holocaust survivor group)
At the end of World War II, the British government authorized the resettlement of 1,000 survivors of the Holocaust under the age of sixteen.[1][2] Only 732 children could be found.[2] The 732 were flown to the Lake District, and initially accommodated in specialized hostels established to aid in their rehabilitation and recovery.[1][2]
They established prosperous new livelihoods and formed enduring connections as part of an exceptional extended family. Despite including 60 girls, they are collectively referred to as "The Boys".[1]
Background
[edit]When the Holocaust ended, most survivors had lost family and their communities where they had lived before the war had been destroyed, leaving them nowhere to go. Furthermore, many of them were very sick, with some hovering between death and life for weeks.[1] They needed time to recover and to rebuild their lives. The British government authorized the resettlement of 1,000 such survivors under the age of sixteen; only 732 were found.[1]
Groups arriving in England
[edit]On 14 August 1945, the first group of three hundred boys were brought in ten Lancaster bombers brought from Prague to Windermere.[1]
On 5 November 1945, the second group of boys were brought from Munich to Southampton.[1] A third group arrived in February 1946, and three further small groups arrived in the spring of 1946.[1]
The initial transition to England was difficult; for example, it was difficult to break the habit of taking extra bread to hide for later, as they had been accustomed to do in the concentration camps when bread was available.[1] They also had to learn English.[1] The boys also needed to learn a profession and begin working and supporting themselves.[1]
See also
[edit]- The Windermere Children - A documentary about the experience of a subgroup of the Boys.
Further reading
[edit]- Martin Gilbert, The Boys. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1996. ISBN 0297816381.