From 1939 Gwrych Castle in North Wales was home to some 200 young German Jews who had arrived on the Kindertransport. Using the testimonies of survivors and their descendants, this account tells how they formed a Hachshara, or training camp for emigration to Israel, unravels the mystery of its closure in 1941, and follows the subsequent fortunes of its inhabitants.
In 2020 and 2021, at the height of the Covid pandemic, Gwrych Castle was familiar to the British public as the setting of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Lesser known is that, at the beginning of the Second World War, this once-grand country house in North Wales became home to around two hundred Jewish refugee children who had been rescued from Europe on the Kindertransport.
Under trying conditions, while the families they had been separated from faced the gravest of dangers, these children and their adult guardians established a Hachshara at Gwrych Castle: a training centre intended to prepare them for the dream of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine (Eretz Yisrael), where they hoped one day to be reunited with the families they left behind.
In this fascinating debut, historian Andrew Hesketh tells the story of these refugees and the community they built, shining a light on a chapter of Jewish history that deserves to be far more widely known. He recounts moving moments of friendship, respect, tension and humour as the new arrivals and local residents came to know each other, while the shadows of war loomed ever closer, and the Hachshara project found itself facing an uncertain future.
Reasons to shop at Postscript
Independent bookseller Established in 1987, we’ve been sharing reading recommendations for decades.
Books you won’t find elsewhere Discover new authors among our frequently changing bookshelves, along with almost-forgotten gems and a wealth of unusual titles you won’t find elsewhere.
Eco-friendly packaging Orders are carefully packed in recyclable cardboard boxes, eco-friendly bubble wrap and solvent-free labels, paper and tape.
Condition and price All our books are new, unused and unread, and they’re all up to 75% off RRP.
FREE monthly catalogue Featuring over 400 handpicked titles, our unique catalogue is carefully curated and includes new and unusual titles, special features and exclusive collections.
Email newsletters Our tailored newsletters are written by our booksellers, and we always highlight the books that we have talked about most in the Postscript office.
Footnotes blog Some books spark ideas and conversations that our catalogue can’t contain – our Footnotes blog offers a deeper dive into a wealth of topics to inspire further reading.
Aftercare We are all serious book people and we understand the value of reading. This is why we package our books so carefully and employ a helpful in-house customer services team to promptly resolve any queries you may have.
Delivery information
UK
Free UK standard delivery on all online orders over £25
Unlimited books in one delivery charge:
• Standard: £3.20 (3-5 working days)
• Click & Collect: £3.20 (3-5 working days)
• Next Day (orders must be placed before 1pm, Monday–Friday): £4.50
• Royal Mail Tracked48: £5.50 (2-4 working days)
Highlands and Islands delivery: standard delivery only (5-7 working days)
Overseas
All orders: delivery costs for orders outside the UK are based on country of destination and product weight.
You can view your overseas delivery cost using the Summary section within the Basket.
For more information on delivery/overseas orders please refer to our Delivery Information.
https://www.psbooks.co.uk/escape-to-gwrych-castle545184Escape to Gwrych Castlehttps://www.psbooks.co.uk/media/catalog/product/5/4/545184_media-0.jpg7.997.99GBPInStock/History/History/Categories/20th Century History/History/Categories/Holocaust TitlesFrom 1939 Gwrych Castle in North Wales was home to some 200 young German Jews who had arrived on the Kindertransport. Using the testimonies of survivors and their descendants, this account tells how they formed a <I>Hachshara</I>, or training camp for emigration to Israel, unravels the mystery of its closure in 1941, and follows the subsequent fortunes of its inhabitants.Hardback00https://www.psbooks.co.uk/media/catalog/product/5/4/545184_media-1.jpghttps://www.psbooks.co.uk/media/catalog/product/5/4/545184_media-2.jpgadd-to-cartrrp_info:£18.99productId:181015bic_code:AMKL, HBJD1, HBLW, HBTB, HBTZ1, HBWQ, HRJAMKL, HBJD1, HBLW, HBTB, HBTZ1, HBWQ, HRJ£18.99Andrew HeskethGeneral222x140mmCalonYesHardbackBritish & Irish
