Sir Nicholas Winton: 1909-2015 – Timeline
Jewish News reflects on the life of one of Britain's great humanitarians - who orchestrated the kindertransport
1909 – Born Nicholas Wertheim in Hampstead to German Jewish parents
1923 – Enters Stowe, but later leaves school with no qualifications
1931 – Moves to France, joins a bank, gains a qualification and returns to London to work as a broker on the London Stock Exchange
1938 – Goes to Prague, at the invitation of a friend, to help refugees
1939 – Rescues 669 children by organising their transport to England, aged 29
1940 – Joins the Royal Air Force, after a period as a conscientious objector
1944-54 – Commissioned as a flying officer, relinquishing it in 1954
1947 – Begins work for the International Refugee Organisation, supervising the disposal of items looted by the Nazis and recovered by the Allies
1948 – Joins the International Bank in Paris, where he meets Grete Gjelstrup, Danish secretary. They marry later that year
1973 – Builds a sheltered housing unit for elderly people in Maidenhead. He later goes on to build two more
1983 – Receives an MBE for services to the community
1988 – Appears on ‘That’s Life’ with Esther Rantzen, after his wife finds a scrapbook in the loft detailing what he did
1991 – Awarded the Freedom of the City of Prague
1998 – Czech President Vaclav Hazel awards him the Order of TG Marsaryk
1999 – His wife Grete passes away
2002 – Knighted by the Queen on New Year’s Eve
2010 – Gets given a ‘Hero of the Holocaust’ medal by then-prime minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing St
2014 – Awarded the Order of the White Lion, Czech Republic’s highest honour
2015 – Dies in his sleep, aged 106
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
