Kindertransport Rescuee Speaks with Upper School Students

Kindertransport Rescuee Speaks with Upper School Students
Geoffrey Bowman


On Wednesday, October 7, Saddle River Day School welcomed Mr. John Lang, grandfather of Zoe '23, to speak on campus.  Mr. Lang spoke with Upper School students about his experiences of living in Nazi Germany.  In particular, he told students about the Kristallnacht (the "Night of the Broken Glass") of November 1938 when Nazi soldiers destroyed and smashed the windows of Jewish-owned stores, buildings and synagogues. He also spoke about the Kindertransport, which took thousands of children to safety ahead of World War II (1939-1945), including Mr. Lang.

Below is a video of Mr. Lang’s talk with our students that we share with his permission.  The entire SRDS community is thankful to him for sharing his first-hand experiences of life in Germany on the cusp of and during the opening years of World War II.  As Mr. Mac said, “We think everyone should hear [Mr. Lang’s] story, so that it may serve as a source of understanding, empathy, and hope for everyone at SRDS.”

 

Video password: johnlang