Our Club Doncaster Sports College students had the unique opportunity to speak to Harry Kessler, a Holocaust survivor who gave his inspiring, first hand account of his experience during World War II. The talk was hosted by Holocaust Educational Trust as part of their Outreach Programme.

Harry was born in Vienna in August 1930. He lived in an apartment in the city with his parents, Frank and Anni and was an only child. Harry was born in Vienna in August 1930. He lived in an apartment in the city with his parents, Frank and Anni and was an only child. On the 12th March 1938 Hitler and the Nazis were welcomed into Austria, this was the Anschluss. Despite this Harry remained at his Jewish school. His father finally had to leave work but, as he had retained his Czech nationality, the family could leave Vienna and go to Czechoslovakia. They decided to try and make a new start in Brno. In Czechoslovakia, they again found themselves under Nazi occupation, but it was possible to leave the country legally with the right mass of paperwork. Harry’s father managed to get all the documents they needed except an affidavit from someone in the country to which they were going, taking full financial responsibility for them. In May 1939 however, Harry’s family arrived in England with 30 shillings, no knowledge of the English language and a huge debt of gratitude to the Joneses (the English couple they had met on the Danube steamer) who sent the vital affidavit and shared their home with the family for the next year. Sadly, may of Harry’s family, including his Omama (grandma) were transported to concentration camps, many did not survive.

Our Deputy Principal, Ben Thompson said, ‘A huge thank you to Mr. Kessler and Holocaust Educational Trust for taking the time to inform and educate our learners on such an important issue which has effected so many. Mr. Kessler’s testimony was harrowing as much as it was heartening and the resilience he and his family showed through such an unimaginable time is something which our students were inspired by’.