Activity 4: What did the British Government do?

It was not until 1938 that the British Government initiated a scheme to allow Jewish refugees into the UK. 

The most significant scheme that they put in place was the Kindertransport.

This allowed the admission of 10,000 unaccompanied children and teenagers from Germany and Austria into the UK. 

The children were not given permanent residency in the UK, however, and their parents were not permitted to accompany them. 

In the end, just over 9,000 children entered Britain as part of the Kindertransport scheme.

• What do you think of the British Government’s decision not to let the children’s parents come with them?
  
• What do you think this decision was based on:  

        Prejudice?
       The economy?
       Concern for public opinion at home?
       A combination of these factors?

• What do you think of the decision morally?  Was it right or wrong?
  
• Why?