You may have seen a video clip online from 1988 of an elderly Londoner named Nicholas Winton being surprised when he finds himself featured on a BBC program among an audience of people he helped rescue just before the outbreak of World War II when they were children.
Winton is credited with helping over 600 children flee from the Nazis, and now a film—One Life—has been made about what he did with that above surprise scene featured in it, as touched on in the film’s trailer.
To watch the trailer, just click the play button at the left of the feature image above.
Anthony Hopkins plays the elderly Winton while Johnny Flynn plays him during those scenes set in Prague before the Nazi war machine invaded Czechoslovakia.
James Hawes directs One Life, which also stars Helena Bonham Carter, Lena Olin, Jonathan Pryce, and Romola Garai. The film will be released in UK theaters in January 2024, but as of writing this post, no date has been set for its American theatrical release.
Stockbroker Turned Saviour
Winton was born on May 19, 1909, in London, and a few decades later, he found himself as a young, unassuming stockbroker enjoying a comfortable life in the UK.
His life took a dramatic turn when he visited Prague at a friend’s behest. There, he became acutely aware of the growing tension in Europe and the plight of Jewish refugees desperately seeking refuge from Nazi persecution.
Moved by the dire situation he witnessed, Winton began organizing the rescue of endangered Jewish children, primarily from Czechoslovakia. Despite countless bureaucratic hurdles and logistical challenges, Winton orchestrated what would become known as the Czech Kindertransport, a mission to transport these children to safety.
He collaborated with local charities, recruited volunteers, and even forged documents when required to facilitate the children’s escape. He rallied support from the British government, which agreed to grant entry to these vulnerable children under specific conditions.
Between March and August 1939, Winton managed to evacuate 669 children, most of whom were Jewish, to the safety of Britain. Each child had a story, a family left behind, and a future forever altered by Winton’s heroic actions. He and his team documented the children’s details, which later proved crucial in reuniting families torn apart by the war.
Secret for Decades
Winton’s mission remained a secret for decades and it was only in 1988, when his wife discovered a scrapbook in their attic containing the names and photos of the rescued children, that others learned of his extraordinary mission.
News of Winton’s rescue mission came to light, and he belatedly was celebrated as a hero. He received numerous awards and honors, including the Czech government’s Order of the White Lion. His story inspired documentaries, books, and plays, and the above movie.
Winton passed away on July 1, 2015, at the age of 106.
You can watch a 5-minute film The Power of Good: The Story of Nicolas Winton, below, on Winton and that BBC audience from the YouTube channel for the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.