Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
People File • Humanitarianism

Nicholas Winton

Sir Nicholas George Winton (born Nicholas Wertheim; 19 May 1909 – 1 July 2015) was a British stockbroker and humanitarian best known for organising the rescue of 669 children, mostly Jewish, from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Sir Nicholas Winton was a British stockbroker who organised the rescue of 669 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939. His quiet heroism remained unknown for decades until a televised reunion in 1988.

Early Life

Nicholas Winton was born in London in 1909 to parents of German-Jewish ancestry and raised in an Anglican household. He worked as a stockbroker before and after the war.

The 1939 Rescue Operation

In 1939, Winton helped organise the Czech Kindertransport, evacuating 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia to safety in Britain. The operation ran in the months before the Second World War broke out.

Public Recognition and Honours

Winton kept his role private for decades. A 1988 BBC programme reunited him with survivors, bringing his story to light. He was made an MBE in 1983, knighted in 2003, and died in 2015 at age 106.

In short

  • Saved 669 children from Czechoslovakia in 1939
  • Rescue work remained secret until 1988
  • Awarded MBE in 1983 and knighthood in 2003
  • Died in 2015 at age 106
Canadian angle

Nicholas Winton is relevant to Canadian readers as a major Holocaust-era humanitarian whose rescue of children is often discussed alongside broader international rescue efforts and remembrance education.

Quick questions

Who was Nicholas Winton?
A British stockbroker and humanitarian who rescued 669 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.
How did his rescue work become known?
A 1988 BBC programme revealed his efforts and reunited him with survivors he had saved.
What honours did he receive?
He received an MBE in 1983 and was knighted in 2003.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Winton
    Supports: Birth name, dates, profession, and rescue of 669 children
  2. Holocaust Memorial Day Trust — https://hmd.org.uk/resource/sir-nicholas-winton/
    Supports: Born in London, rescued 669 children, died in 2015
  3. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum — https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nicholas-winton-and-the-rescue-of-children-from-czechoslovakia-1938-1939
    Supports: Birth details, stockbroker profession, and 2003 knighthood
  4. BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-67884181
    Supports: Public recognition, 669 children, 2003 knighthood, death in 2015
  5. The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/01/sir-nicholas-winton
    Supports: Public recognition and estimate of children saved