Into the Arms of Strangers
Name:___________________________________
STORIES OF THE KINDERTRANSPORT
1. The initial scenes show children doing what kinds of activities?
2. Were the children “transported” unwanted or unloved?
3. What happened to Ursula Rosenfeld that made her realize she was ostracized and different?
4. Name two places children were gradually barred from.
5. What year and month did Hitler enter Austria?
6. Though capable of many kinds of high level jobs, what kind of employment did many Jews seek in
Britain?
7. Name two things Jews had to have in order to leave the country.
8. What does Kristallnacht mean?
9. November 9, 1938 was the night of Kristallnacht. Name some things that happened on that night.
10. Which was the only country willing to relax immigration laws?
11. Why would this country only take children?
12. What was the American response to the issue of taking on immigrant children?
13. Did the Nazis fight the deportation of the Jewish children on the Kindertransport?
14. How did most of the children travel to other countries?
15. What did every parent promise their children?
16. What did they call the routine of people coming to pick out children?
17. What types of children were preferred?
18. True/False
Some of the children “adopted” were used as playmates for English children and as
servants for English families.
19. True/False
adopted them.
Some of the children originally came from wealthier families, than the families who
20. In what way was the Kindertransport definitely a success?
21. True/False
A “hostel” was much like an “orphanage”.
22. How did many parents and children communicate?
23. True/False
Some children took it upon themselves to try to bring their parents out of Hitler’s
territory and into Britain.
24. True/False
Most children did not feel any need to help family members left behind.
25. What ended legal kindertransport and international letters between children and parents?
26. True/False
Even though not all the British were warm and loving, most of the Jewish children
still appreciated the sacrifice these families were making.
27. One of the kindertransport survivors compares the kindertransport children to what?
28. True/False
Many adult Jews or foreigners were arrested and deported because the British
believed that might be “saboteurs” or “spies”.
29. Where were these potential spies taken?
30. True/False
raids.
Germans threatened just the Jews in Britain and not all Britain with bombs and air
31. How could internees get out of Australia and back to Britain?
32. What brought happiness, but also the knowledge that family members had died?
33. True/False
Those children who were reunited with their parents felt nothing but joy and
happiness because they were glad to be leaving the English families who had helped them.
34. What word would you use for what many parents did? Saved or Abandoned
Choose one of these questions (or more for extra credit) and write a paragraph (min. 5 sentences) in response.
1. Why did parents decide to send their children away? Do you think it was a good or right decision? Why or why not?
2.“It is better to go thru life trusting people and be disappointed than to not trust anybody.” Is this a good attitude? Why or
why not? Is this your attitude? Why or why not?
3. What do you think about the father who took his daughter out of the Kindertransport? Do you agree or disagree with his
decision? Why do you feel that way?
Into the Arms of Strangers
STORIES OF THE KINDERTRANSPORT
1. The initial scenes show children doing what kinds of activities?
Skipping, playing, swimming, riding rides, spending time with family
2. Were the children “transported” unwanted or unloved?
No
3. What happened to Ursula Rosenfeld that made her realize she was ostracized and different?
No children came to her 8th birthday party
4. Name two places children were gradually barred from.
Schools, parks, theatres, swimming pools
5. What year and month did Hitler enter Austria?
March 1938
6. Though capable of many kinds of high level jobs, what kind of employment did many Jews seek in
Britain?
Servants, nannies, etc.
7. Name two things Jews had to have in order to leave the country.
Sponsor, visa, exit permit
8. What does Kristallnacht mean?
Night of broken glass
9. November 9, 1938 was the night of Kristallnacht. Name some things that happened on that night.
People were arrested, people were beaten up, Nazis destroyed synagogues and holy things, destroyed
windows of Jewish houses and businesses, looted Jewish businesses, burned up synagogues
10. Which was the only country willing to relax immigration laws?
Britain
11. Why would this country only take children?
Because children wouldn’t take jobs away, wouldn’t be a burden to society
12. What was the American response to the issue of taking on immigrant children?
We feel bad but we can’t help. We don’t want to separate children from their parents.
13. Did the Nazis fight the deportation of the Jewish children on the Kindertransport?
No
14. How did most of the children travel to other countries?
Train
15. What did every parent promise their children?
That they would follow.
16. What did they call the routine of people coming to pick out children?
Cattle market
17. What types of children were preferred?
Blue eyed, blonde, little girls or little boys, not older kids
18. True/False Some of the children “adopted” were used as playmates for English children and as
servants for English families.
True
19. True/False Some of the children originally came from wealthier families, than the families who
adopted them.
True
20. In what way was the Kindertransport definitely a success?
Everyone who came over was alive at the end of the war.
21. True/False A “hostel” was much like an “orphanage”.
True
22. How did many parents and children communicate?
Through letters.
23. True/False Some children took it upon themselves to try to bring their parents out of Hitler’s territory
and into Britain.
True
24. True/False Most children did not feel any need to help family members left behind.
False
25. What ended legal kindertransport and international letters between children and parents?
When war was declared by Germany on Britain.
26. True/False Even though not all the British were warm and loving, most of the Jewish children still
appreciated the sacrifice these families were making.
True
27. One of the kindertransport survivors compares the kindertransport children to what?
A wounded bird.
28. True/False Many adult Jews or foreigners were arrested and deported because the British believed that
might be “saboteurs” or “spies”.
True
29. Where were these potential spies taken?
Australia
30. True/False Germans threatened just the Jews in Britain and not all Britain with bombs and air raids.
False
31. How could internees get out of Australia and back to Britain?
Join the military
32. What brought happiness, but also the knowledge that family members had died?
The end of the war.
33. True/False Those children who were reunited with their parents felt nothing but joy and happiness
because they were glad to be leaving the English families who had helped them.
False
34. What word would you use for what many parents did? Saved or Abandoned
Choose one of these questions (or more for extra credit) and write a paragraph (min. 5 sentences) in
response.
1. Why did parents decide to send their children away? Do you think it was a good or right decision?
Why or why not?
2.“It is better to go thru life trusting people and be disappointed than to not trust anybody” Is this a good
attitude? Why or why not? Is this your attitude? Why or why not?
3. What do you think about the father who took his daughter out of the Kindertransport? Do you agree or
disagree with his decision? Why do you feel that way?