Fractured Childhoods, Identities in Transit: Humanitarian Aid for Central European Refugees from the United Kingdom

Magdalena Garrido Caballero

doi:10.3989/chdj.2019.023

Abstract

The aim of this study is to address the situation of one of the most vulnerable social collectives: Central European refugee children and youths who fled the territories occupied by the Third Reich, thanks to the help provided by large number of private or public organizations, which resulted in the reception of about ten thousand refugees in the United Kingdom at the beginning of World War II. To this end, diverse documents have been analysed from archives such as The National Archive and The British Library, in order to learn more about this human drama and its impact upon international politics, as well as the role played by the British Government.

Highlights

The aim of this study is to address the situation of one of the most vulnerable social collectives: Central European refugee children and youths who fled the territories occupied by the Third Reich, thanks to the help provided by large number of private or public organizations, which resulted in the reception of about ten thousand refugees in the United Kingdom at the beginning of World War II
Diverse documents have been analysed from archives such as The National Archive and The British Library, in order to learn more about this human drama and its impact upon international politics, as well as the role played by the British Government
The evacuation of children from the Basque Country was perceived as a possible crack in the non-intervention policy adopted by the British Government (Bell, 2007). Both the actions related to the humanitarian appeals to relieve the children’s suffering (Wilson and Brown, 2009) and the reception of refugees by the United Kingdom can be included in the era of “imperial humanitarianism”, which spans from the late-18th century until the end of the Second World War (Barnett, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

In this context of radicalization of anti-Semitic policies, occupation of territories by Nazi Germany and the reluctant attitude of countries in Europe and America towards the reception of refugees, is situated the British experience in providing aid to young refugees, paradigmatic since it is a model in which Government and charities worked to the same end: to save children and young people from occupied Europe.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion