Not a Righteous Gentile

Sir Nicholas Winton will be 102 this year. Between Kristallnacht and the outbreak of World War 2 he singlehandedly arranged the rescue of 669 Jewish children from Czechoslovakia. He then served with the Red Cross and as a pilot.

Sir Nicholas's parents were German Jews who came to Britain before his birth and converted to Christianity.

Yad Vashem will not recongise him as a Righteous Gentile because as far as they are concerned he is Jewish, and therefore not eligible. It's a good thing he never thought of being honoured in any way, so at least he won't have been too disappointed.

He never spoke of what he'd done, and it only came to light in 1988, when his wife found a scrapbook containing details, including the names and addresses of those who'd taken in the children.

Luckily others have recognised Sir Nicholas's achievements and in 2010 he was named a British Hero of the Holocaust. And in 2002 a Knight.