History often celebrates kings and generals, but sometimes the greatest heroes are ordinary people who act with quiet courage. Sir Nicholas Winton, known as the “British Schindler,” was one such man. He saved 669 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, sparing them from the horrors of the Holocaust.
Born in 1909 in London to German-Jewish parents, Winton trained as a stockbroker. His life seemed destined for a comfortable middle-class path—until a trip to Prague in 1938 changed everything. Witnessing families living in freezing refugee camps, he realized the children were most at risk. Inspired by compassion, he began organizing rescue trains, arranging visas, raising funds, and finding British foster homes.
Between March and August 1939, train after train carried children to safety. But the final transport, set for September 1, was halted when war broke out. Those children were never seen again.
Remarkably, Winton kept silent about his efforts for decades. His heroism was only revealed in 1988 when his wife discovered his scrapbook. Today, his story endures as proof that one person’s courage can alter countless lives.
