Kurt Stern - February 11, 2008
Thoughts on Winton and Barazetti
Why do you think Nicholas Winton did what he did?
Why? I asked this question--I asked him when he was here. It was--we had a big gathering and um, I said, "Why did you do it?" As I said before, he's unique so somebody said, "You answered your own question: he's unique." I mean you ask him and he says, he's um, look, he opened up an old age home. That's part of his character. He never talked about it. Um, he's--I don't, don't--there aren't many people like him.
Did, did you meet Bill Barazetti as well?
Barazetti I met when he was honored by Yad Vashem. I mean, I didn't--as I said I didn't know very much about what happened or how the organizations worked but when he was honored by Yad Vashem I was there. I know Hugo thinks that Barazetti hasn't got the recognition he should've got...
But he risked his life.
Yes, he risked his life but I think Barazetti was, was more adventurer than Nicholas. Nicholas wasn't adventurist, he did it out of uh, humanity, I mean. Barazetti certainly risked his life but he did other things to risk his life, not only the children. He's lucky to be alive--or was lucky to be alive because the Germans were looking for him.
Do you think your experience with the Winton transport has an affect on you--had an affect on you afterwards?
Well, as I said I um, the--I said I was closed up 'til '89 but I didn't really open up I think--it was a gradual process--but after the '99 conference--reunion and then the film was made, Um, Minac wasn't at the conference; I don't know why he didn't get to the conference but it got--he came here two years later or a year later--I think it was the summer he came and um, I don't know um, he--I don't know why he did it. I mean, I don't, I don't know. It's a mystery. There was--look, he went back to England, yeah? After he saw what--it evidently it affected him. I mean he came to Europe to have a good time--Christmas to go skiing but he went back and just started all the organization but it was his initiative. I know Barazetti stayed and risked his life but without uh, without Winton there was nowhere to send the children to. I mean, the British government didn't allow all the children to come in here to have an address and they organized it.
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