British Hero of the Holocaust
Encyclopedia
The British Hero of the Holocaust award is a special national award given by the UK government
in recognition of British citizens who assisted in rescuing victims of the Holocaust
. On 9 March 2010 it was awarded to 25 individuals posthumously, and to two living people, Sir Nicholas Winton
aged 100, and Denis Avey
aged 91. The award is a solid silver medallion, and bears the inscription "in the service of humanity" in recognition of "selfless actions" which "preserved life in the face of persecution".
, a British charity founded in 1988. The campaign cited the examples of British citizens such as Frank Foley
, Jane Haining
and June Ravenhall who had previously been honoured by Israel as one of the British nominees to the status of Righteous among the Nations
, but had received no British honour during their lifetime.
Under the official British honours system honours cannot be awarded posthumously, so the Trust's campaign sought to have the honours system changed, to allow the awarding of either an MBE or an OBE
posthumously to British rescuers such as Frank Foley. On 7 May 2008, the 50th anniversary of the death of Foley, the Trust filed an internet petition
titled 'UK-Rescuers' on the 10 Downing Street
website, to call on the Prime Minister
to reconsider the laws governing the posthumous honours system. With a deadline for signatories of 7 May 2009, the petition ultimately gathered 1,087 signatories. It had stated:
Through 2008 and 2009 the campaign attracted support from the media as well as members of parliament, both in the UK parliament and in the Scottish Parliament
, citing the particular examples of Foley, Ravenhall and Haining. In March 2009, the MP Russell Brown
tabled the early day motion
Recognition for British Heroes of the Holocaust in Westminster citing the examples of Foley, Haining and Ravenhall, securing 135 signatories.
's first visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland, the Prime Minister said "We will create national awards in Britain for those British citizens who helped so many people, Jewish and other citizens, during the Holocaust period".
The recognition was to take the form of some type of a new national award, outside of the Honours System, after the government ruled out reforming the posthumous honours rules, with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
and the Minister for the Cabinet Office
going on to discuss the exact form it would take with the Trust, Russell Brown MP and the families of potential recipients.
, aged 100, and Denis Avey
, aged 91. Both Winton and Avey, along with relatives of posthumous recipients, received the award at a reception in 10 Downing Street. The award itself is a solid silver medallion, and bears the inscription "in the service of humanity" on the front, and on the reverse, a recognition of the recipient's "selfless actions [which] preserved life in the face of persecution".
Government of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Government is the central government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers...
in recognition of British citizens who assisted in rescuing victims of the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. On 9 March 2010 it was awarded to 25 individuals posthumously, and to two living people, Sir Nicholas Winton
Nicholas Winton
Sir Nicholas George Winton, MBE is a British humanitarian who organised the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport. Winton found homes for them and arranged for their safe...
aged 100, and Denis Avey
Denis Avey
Denis Avey fought in the desert during the Second World War and was captured and held as a prisoner of war for two years near Auschwitz III, a concentration camp...
aged 91. The award is a solid silver medallion, and bears the inscription "in the service of humanity" in recognition of "selfless actions" which "preserved life in the face of persecution".
Campaign for official recognition
In 2008, a campaign to gain official posthumous recognition of British Holocaust rescuers was initiated by the Holocaust Educational TrustHolocaust Educational Trust
The Holocaust Educational Trust is a British charity, founded by Greville Janner and Merlyn Rees in 1988, whose aim is to "educate young people of every background about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today." Its chairman is Greville Janner and its president is R....
, a British charity founded in 1988. The campaign cited the examples of British citizens such as Frank Foley
Frank Foley
Major Francis Edward Foley CMG was a British Secret Intelligence Service officer...
, Jane Haining
Jane Haining
Jane Haining was a Church of Scotland missionary. She worked in Budapest, where she was arrested by the Nazis in 1944. She died in the concentration camp at Auschwitz later that year.-Early life:...
and June Ravenhall who had previously been honoured by Israel as one of the British nominees to the status of Righteous among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
, but had received no British honour during their lifetime.
Under the official British honours system honours cannot be awarded posthumously, so the Trust's campaign sought to have the honours system changed, to allow the awarding of either an MBE or an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
posthumously to British rescuers such as Frank Foley. On 7 May 2008, the 50th anniversary of the death of Foley, the Trust filed an internet petition
Internet petition
An Internet petition is a form of petition posted on a website. Visitors to the website in question can add their email addresses or names, and after enough "signatures" have been collected, the resulting letter may be delivered to the subject of the petition, usually via e-mail.-Pros and cons:The...
titled 'UK-Rescuers' on the 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
website, to call on the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
to reconsider the laws governing the posthumous honours system. With a deadline for signatories of 7 May 2009, the petition ultimately gathered 1,087 signatories. It had stated:
...[Foley] was never formally honoured by the British nation during his lifetime for his actions. We therefore call on the Government to review the current statutes governing the honours system, so that the Honours Committee can consider awarding a posthumous knighthood to Frank Foley. We hope that this will open the way for the Honours Committee to consider recognition for other British heroes of the Holocaust, including Randolph Churchill, Sergeant Charles Coward, Jane Haining, Tommy Noble and Robert Smallbones, who risked and in some cases gave their own lives to save others...
Through 2008 and 2009 the campaign attracted support from the media as well as members of parliament, both in the UK parliament and in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, citing the particular examples of Foley, Ravenhall and Haining. In March 2009, the MP Russell Brown
Russell Brown
Russell Leslie Brown is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He is Member of Parliament for Dumfries and Galloway.-Early years :Russell Brown was born in Annan, Scotland, and attended the local Annan Academy...
tabled the early day motion
Early day motion
An Early Day Motion , in the Westminster system, is a motion, expressed as a single sentence, tabled by Members of Parliament for debate "on an early day" . Controversial EDMs are not signed by Government Ministers, PPS or the Speaker of the House of Commons and very few are debated on the floor...
Recognition for British Heroes of the Holocaust in Westminster citing the examples of Foley, Haining and Ravenhall, securing 135 signatories.
Announcement of a new award
On 29 April 2009, as the early day motion reached Parliament, the government announced that a new award would be specially created to recognise these British rescuers. Announced just after Gordon BrownGordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
's first visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland, the Prime Minister said "We will create national awards in Britain for those British citizens who helped so many people, Jewish and other citizens, during the Holocaust period".
The recognition was to take the form of some type of a new national award, outside of the Honours System, after the government ruled out reforming the posthumous honours rules, with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, is a Cabinet position heading the UK's Department for Communities and Local Government....
and the Minister for the Cabinet Office
Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Minister for the Cabinet Office is a position in the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. The post of Minister of the Cabinet Office is sometimes derided as the Minister for the Today programme.-Ministers for the Cabinet Office:...
going on to discuss the exact form it would take with the Trust, Russell Brown MP and the families of potential recipients.
British Hero of the Holocaust award
The new award was announced as the British Hero of the Holocaust award, a state recognition similar to a state honour. It was presented to 27 people on 9 March 2009 - in addition to being awarded posthumously to the families of 25 recipients, the medal was also awarded to two living people, Sir Nicholas WintonNicholas Winton
Sir Nicholas George Winton, MBE is a British humanitarian who organised the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport. Winton found homes for them and arranged for their safe...
, aged 100, and Denis Avey
Denis Avey
Denis Avey fought in the desert during the Second World War and was captured and held as a prisoner of war for two years near Auschwitz III, a concentration camp...
, aged 91. Both Winton and Avey, along with relatives of posthumous recipients, received the award at a reception in 10 Downing Street. The award itself is a solid silver medallion, and bears the inscription "in the service of humanity" on the front, and on the reverse, a recognition of the recipient's "selfless actions [which] preserved life in the face of persecution".
List of recipients
The 27 recipients were:- Princess Alice of GreecePrincess Alice of BattenbergPrincess Alice of Battenberg, later Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark was the mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and mother-in-law of Elizabeth II....
- Sir Nicholas WintonNicholas WintonSir Nicholas George Winton, MBE is a British humanitarian who organised the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport. Winton found homes for them and arranged for their safe...
- Major Frank FoleyFrank FoleyMajor Francis Edward Foley CMG was a British Secret Intelligence Service officer...
- Battery Sergeant Major Charles CowardCharles CowardCharles Joseph Coward , known as the "Count of Auschwitz", was a British soldier captured during World War II who rescued Jews from Auschwitz and smuggled himself into Auschwitz for one night, subsequently testifying about his experience at the Nuremberg Trials and the IG Farben...
- Sister Agnes Walsh
- Denis AveyDenis AveyDenis Avey fought in the desert during the Second World War and was captured and held as a prisoner of war for two years near Auschwitz III, a concentration camp...
- Albert BedaneAlbert BedaneAlbert Bedane lived in Jersey during the German occupation during World War II, and provided shelter to a Jewish woman and others, preventing their capture by the Nazis....
- Jane HainingJane HainingJane Haining was a Church of Scotland missionary. She worked in Budapest, where she was arrested by the Nazis in 1944. She died in the concentration camp at Auschwitz later that year.-Early life:...
- June Ravenhall
- Sofka SkipwithSofka SkipwithSofka Skipwith was a Russian émigrée to England who became a well known Communist after working for Laurence Olivier and being interned by the Nazis in France in World War II...
- Bertha Bracey
- Henk Huffener
- Two sisters from London
- Ida Cook (a.k.a novelist Mary Burchell)
- Louise Cook
- Three siblings from Jersey
- Louisa Gould
- Ivy Forster
- Harold Le Druillenec
- A group of prisoners of war who saved Hannah Sara Rigler
- Stan Wells
- Alan Edwards
- George Hammond
- Roger Letchford
- Tommy Noble
- John Buckley
- Bill Scruton
- Bert Hambling
- Bill Keeble
- Willy Fisher