Kindertransport magic

Refugees from the Nazi regime began arriving in Britain long before war was declared on 3 September 1939. Many of these were Jews, escaping rising anti-Semitism and Hitler's persecution of their race.

In November 1938, following a rise in violent attacks against Germany's Jewish population, the British Government changed its immigration laws. Realising it needed to respond to a humanitarian crisis, the government decided to allow the temporary admission of unaccompanied Jewish children. 

Many of the children's parents had been killed by the Nazi regime, or sent to concentration camps. Some parents were still alive, but had sent their children away in the hope that the youngsters would have a better chance of survival away from Germany.

Known as Kindertransport, this unprecedented scheme led to 10,000 mainly Jewish children entering the U.K. from Nazi Germany, Nazi-occupied Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Free City of Danzig. Other children that came were ‘non-Aryans’ of one sort or another, or the children of anti-Nazis. 

The children would arrive on steamers and other craft, typically arriving at ports on Britain's eastern coast, such as Harwich and London. Emergency accommodation was provided at seaside holiday camps, until places could be found for the children in foster homes, hostels, schools and farms. 

For most, it was a baffling and distressing time. To relieve the children's anxiety and fear, the authorities would often arrange entertainment at the camps. Step forward Britain's magicians and other entertainers...

One of these events at Dovercourt Camp in Harwich, was filmed for British Pathe news in 1939. Magician and pickpocket Dr. John Giovanni, 'The King of Pick-Pockets', appeared alongside other music hall stars, entertaining the newly arrived refugees. He is filmed taking a watch and trouser braces from unsuspecting adult helpers; much to the children's amusement. Giovanni himself was a Hungarian-Jew, who emigrated to the U.K. in the 1920s.

Gaumont British Newsreel: Refugees Entertained at Dovercourt (1939)

(Source: British Pathé)

Dr. John Giovanni 'The King of Pick Pockets' (circa 1965)

(Source: Public domain)

One famous German-Jewish refugee was magician and mentalist David Berglas. Aged just 11, his family sent him to England in May 1938, alone. Berglas was just old enough to join the military in the final year of the war. He served with an intelligence unit in the U.S. Army and was stationed in occupied Germany investigating Nazi war crimes. He later became President of The Magic Circle.

Magician and mentalist David Berglas (1989)

(Source: Creative Commons)

Refugee appeal decision card for David Berglas

(Source: National Archives)

Many of the Jewish child refugees ended up serving in the British or Allied armed forces. Many too were the only members of their families to survive the Holocaust (1941-1945) which led to the systematic murder of six million Jews.