As we mark Holocaust Memorial Day, we simultaneously celebrate a remarkable milestone: the 100th birthday of Alice Engel. Alice’s journey – from the horrors of 1930’s Vienna to a better life in the UK – is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit.
Born in Vienna in 1924, Alice’s childhood was fractured by the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. At just 13 years old, she and her family were caught in the chaos of Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938. A night that shattered lives and communities, the pogrom was defined by murder, rampant vandalism and the imprisonment of thousands of Jewish men, including her father, Julius Engel.
Alice told us: “Times were very bad. Jewish people were frightened to go on the street, to do shopping…”
Following Kristallnacht, Alice’s mother made the incredibly difficult decision to send her away on the Kindertransport after the opportunity arose. Coordinated by World Jewish Relief (then the Central British Fund for German Jewry) alongside other prominent Jewish and non-Jewish organisations, the programme facilitated safe passage for almost 10,000 children fleeing Nazi atrocities. On December 10, 1938, Alice embarked on her journey to England, a move that may have saved her life.
As we celebrate Alice’s 100th birthday, we reflect on the significance of her survival and the enduring legacy of the Kindertransport. “I didn’t have an easy life, but I just feel very grateful. I’m a British girl. Although I’m not born here, this country has done a lot for me,” Alice shared, expressing her gratitude for the opportunities that followed her harrowing escape.
Alice’s early years in the UK were marked by challenges. But, with the support of World Jewish Relief, the wider British Jewish community and compassionate host families, she adapted. She eventually found stability, settling on Lord Balfour’s estate and building a life within the vibrant tapestry of British society. Over the years, she became a dressmaker in London and raised three children who have gone on to have families of their own, all while carrying the weight of her past. Alice continues to travel to visit her daughter in Australia!
Having experienced loss and separation from her family, Alice was eventually reunited with her father, Julius, in 1947 after he survived the horrors of Buchenwald and Dachau concentration camps. “I think it’s important people are still aware of what happened”, she emphasised.
Now, as we commemorate her centenary, Alice stands as a vital advocate for Holocaust education. Her life story sheds light on the resilience required to navigate profound trauma and serves as an important call to combat the resurgent antisemitism seen today. “The antisemitism that is travelling in this country and other countries is horrific… we just want to get on with our lives and raise our children,” she urged in a recent interview with The Daily Express newspaper.
In celebrating Alice Engel’s 100th birthday, we remember her journey, which represents the story of many of the 10,000 children saved through the Kindertransport, and the countless lives touched by the generosity of the British Jewish community.
