Nicholas Winton

Sir Nicholas George Winton MBE (born Wertheim; 19 May 1909 – 1 July 2015) was a distinguished British stockbroker and humanitarian known for his remarkable efforts in rescuing Jewish children during the Holocaust. Born to German-Jewish immigrants in the UK, Winton's most notable achievement occurred on the brink of World War II. During a visit to Czechoslovakia, he identified 669 children, primarily Jewish, who were in imminent danger of persecution by Nazi Germany. He meticulously organized the logistics to bring these children to safety in Britain, navigating the legal complexities of immigration and securing homes and sponsors for them. This initiative became recognized as the Czech Kindertransport.

For nearly five decades, Winton's heroic deeds remained largely unrecognized until 1988, when he appeared on the BBC program That's Life!. There, he experienced an emotional reunion with many of the children he had saved, along with their descendants. This public acknowledgment earned him the nickname "the British Schindler" in the media.

In recognition of his extraordinary humanitarian efforts, Winton was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003, honoring his service in saving Jewish children from Nazi-occupied territories. Additionally, in 2014, he received the esteemed Order of the White Lion (1st class) from Czech President Miloš Zeman, the highest accolade from the Czech Republic. Winton passed away at the age of 106, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and courage.