Sir Erich Reich, the smallest boy in railway Kindertransport statue, dies aged 87
The philanthropist and survivor was knighted for his charitable work twelve years ago
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
Tributes have been paid to the philanthropist and Holocaust survivor Sir Erich Reich, who died suddenly on Wednesday, aged 87.
Manna, the UK branch of the Israeli charity Meir Panim, said: “We are hugely saddened by the passing of Sir Erich Reich, our honorary president, former chairman and friend.
“For many years, he generously supported and championed the important work that Manna Meir Panim does in Israel, and we greatly appreciate the time and kindness Sir Erich gave to us.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family.”
The Association of Jewish Refugees also paid tribute.
In a statement, the AJR said: “Sir Erich was a long-time prominent member of the AJR, a former trustee and chair of AJR’s Kindertransport group, a role which he embraced with great responsibility.
“He was always ready to advocate for and represent his fellow Kinder.
“Sir Erich was proud to be the smallest boy depicted in the famous Kindertransport statue by Frank Meisler at Liverpool Street Station, yet he had few memories of his own journey to the UK in 1939, at the age of four.
“Born in Vienna in 1935, Sir Erich never saw his parents again after they made the decision to send him and his brothers to safety; he later found out that his parents were murdered at Auschwitz.
“In 2010 Sir Erich was knighted for his charitable work which has enabled thousands of people to raise millions of pounds through sponsored challenges such as bike rides and treks.”
Michael Newman, chief executive of the AJR, added: “We are all deeply shocked and hugely saddened by this terrible news. Erich was a great personal friend and mentor to me, and a popular presence at any AJR gathering.
“We will all miss him terribly. We send our sincere condolences to his family and will greatly treasure the happy memories we have of him.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
