How many stories does a single statue hold? The Kindertransport Statue here at Dag Hammarskjöld Platz is more than bronze. It is a testament to survival. It also is a tribute to those lost.
This sculpture is called “The Final Parting.” It stands outside the Dammtor railway station’s southern exit. Frank Meisler and Arie Ovadia created this monument. It commemorates the Kindertransport rescue mission. The mission saved children from Nazi Germany.
Between 1938 and the start of the war in 1939, thousands of Jewish children traveled to the UK. About 1,000 of those children were from Hamburg. Many of these children were the only surviving members of their families. Imagine their final goodbyes right here. Think of the parents sending their children to safety. They would have been unsure if they would ever see each other again.
Frank Meisler understood this parting firsthand. He was himself a Kindertransport child. It made creating these sculptures deeply meaningful to him. He considered them his most significant works.
The Kindertransport was a rescue mission. It began nine months before World War II. The United Kingdom took in nearly 15,000 Jewish and non-Jewish children. These children came from Nazi Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Danzig. They lived in British foster homes, hostels, and farms.
Five memorial sculptures mark the children’s routes to safety. These sculptures also serve as gratitude to the British people. They commemorate the 1.6 million children murdered in the Holocaust. You can find similar Kindertransport sculptures in Berlin, Hoek van Holland, Gdansk, and London. Lisa Sophie Becher MBE curated these works.
The Kindertransport Statue here was temporarily moved. The train station underwent a three-year renovation. It returned to Dag-Hammarskjöld-Platz in May 2022. The statue serves as a constant reminder. It shows the importance of compassion during times of persecution.
Reflect on the stories of the children who passed through this station. Remember their resilience. Honor the sacrifices made to ensure their safety. The Kindertransport Statue stands as a symbol of hope. It reminds us of humanity’s capacity for kindness, even in the darkest times.