Prefer Jewish News on Google
Story of family saving identical twins from the Shoah revealed in BBC doc
Heartfelt tale of George and Peter Summerfield's journey to be reunited with childhood friends who helped rescue them, will be shown on BBC Two’s Saved By A Stranger.
The heartfelt story of how a German family helped to save the lives of identical twins during the Second World War is revealed in BBC Two’s Saved By A Stranger.
Presented by Anita Rani, the series sets out to reunite people caught up in traumatic events with those who helped them to get through them.
In 1933, twins George and Peter Summerfield were born to a Jewish family in Berlin, six months after Hitler became chancellor of Germany.
The young boys were close friends with the non-Jewish sons of their building’s caretaker, Mr Schädler, and all four would play football together.
But as the Nazi party steadily increased persecution against Jews, life for the family became very difficult.
On Kristallnacht, in 1938, when thousands of Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps, Schädler hid the twins’ father Franz in his basement, at great risk to his own safety.
The following year, with just days to spare before the outbreak of war, Schädler lent the family money to escape Berlin by train and come to London.
Now 87, George and Peter embark on a journey to be reunited with their childhood friends and to thank them for the great sacrifice their father made to ensure their safety and survival.
The episode airs on Thursday, 20 May, 9pm on BBC Two
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.
