22-01-2011, 08:14 AM
(This post was last modified: 22-01-2011, 09:00 AM by Peter Lemkin.)
He kept what he did to himself [known only to those children he saved...and they didn't know his name] for 50 years! Talk about modesty. I was present the first time he came to Prague and was to be shown a short documentary on his 'kindertransport' and given a medal by the Prague Jewish Community. After the showing of the film [not this new movie - this was some years ago and a much shorter documentary film] the packed room stood in applause for perhaps 15 minutes. Not a dry eye in the house and many sobbing uncontrollably. Then people sat down. But about 20 persons remained standing. When the room was again quiet and most who had no idea why these 20 were standing and were looking at them, they quietly and quickly came up to the front of the room where Winton was seated and surrounded him, facing him. One by one they said, "My name is _________. You, Nicholas Winton saved my life. I am here today only because of the love you showed toward a stranger. Shalom!" And then the next, and the next. Winton had never before seen any of his saved children, all of whom were now in their 60s or 70s. They all hugged and they all cried, as did everyone in the room. It is a moment I shall NEVER forget. I'm crying as I write this now, just remembering.
If one person can do so much good, why can't we defeat those individuals who do so much evil? It only takes more like Winton, willing to make the effort; sense the need and what must be done; construct a plan; and carry it out, despite the difficulties and dangers. If you can, do see the film. Ten of the actual saved children are in it. The others are played by actors, but every part of the film is true - it all happened as it is shown. He had to break some rules and even bend some laws to accomplish what he did. He still regrets he couldn't save more. That was not really the problem. The problem was there were too few 'Wintons'. With too many evil people acting - and too few potentially good ones doing nothing in the face of all that evil.
This is our problem today too.
There is an old Jewish saying to honor a very good person. "May you live to be a thousand years." Nicholas Winton, may you live to be a thousand! - but your goodness will carry on forever, for those children he saved have children and grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. Perhaps more important, he like Schindler, like Wallenberg, like the Wit Rosa, like many others, both known and unknown, set a moral example for others to follow.
If one person can do so much good, why can't we defeat those individuals who do so much evil? It only takes more like Winton, willing to make the effort; sense the need and what must be done; construct a plan; and carry it out, despite the difficulties and dangers. If you can, do see the film. Ten of the actual saved children are in it. The others are played by actors, but every part of the film is true - it all happened as it is shown. He had to break some rules and even bend some laws to accomplish what he did. He still regrets he couldn't save more. That was not really the problem. The problem was there were too few 'Wintons'. With too many evil people acting - and too few potentially good ones doing nothing in the face of all that evil.
This is our problem today too.
There is an old Jewish saying to honor a very good person. "May you live to be a thousand years." Nicholas Winton, may you live to be a thousand! - but your goodness will carry on forever, for those children he saved have children and grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. Perhaps more important, he like Schindler, like Wallenberg, like the Wit Rosa, like many others, both known and unknown, set a moral example for others to follow.
"Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who writes the laws. - Mayer Rothschild
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass