Men of vision - Amy Zahl Gottlieb

The untold story of hoe the Anglo-Jewish community saved the lives of thousands of German Jews. Helped by the chance discovery in the late 1980's of files and documents, Amy Gottlieb has been able to tell for the first time the story of the greatest communal endeavour in the history of Anglo-Jewry that of resuing the victims of Nazi oppression - which succeeded in saving thousands of lives. 4 months after Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, leaders of the great Anglo-Jewish families established the Central British fund for German Jewry. Intense fund raising began at once and the lobbying of a British Government that did not welcome German Jews as immigrants. Following Kristallnacht in 1938, the stream of refugees became a flood. A central aim of the CBF was to rescue as many children as possible. The obstacles were formidable, and direct negotiation with leading Nazi's such as Adolf Eichmann was sometimes necessary. But much was achieved. Throughout the war the work of administration, fund raising and negotiation with the Government continued - not least on internment, emigration and the resettlement of refugees outside Britain. This is the story of a remarkable group of men and women who responded with generosity, determination and courage in an hour of Great need.