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Case Study: Let One Go Free

Let One Go Free: Hannah Hickman

In 1939, when Hannah Hickman was eleven years old, she was sent from Germany, where she lived, to England. Her Jewish parents were concerned about the increasing restrictions being placed upon them as a result of Nazi discrimination. The British government at the time agreed that a certain number of children could come to safety, but only children. Those who came, on what was called the ‘Kindertransport’, had to leave their families behind, but at the time, none of the children and few of the parents could imagine that they would never see each other again and that, while the children were safe in the UK, their families would be rounded up and sent to the camps.

Hannah describes life for those of her family left behind:

“My parents’ letters to me do not mention the great anxiety they must have felt about the chances of emigrating. Life for the Jews remaining in Germany became more and more restricted. From November 1938 they were forbidden to run shops or workshops. Their driving licenses were confiscated in December 1938. After [Kristallnacht, the night of terror when Nazi-organised troops led the destruction of Jewish homes, schools, businesses and synagogues, the government forced Jews to pay for the clear-up.] A payment of a thousand million Reichsmarks was imposed as a punishment on the whole Jewish community in Germany [even though they had been the victims of the violence. My mother sorted out gold and silver articles to be handed in.] Out of the silver cutlery set [which my parents had had when they got married], we were only allowed to keep one knife, fork and spoon for each member of the family.

“In late 1938 the Nazi authorities began the process of removing Jews from their flats or houses, and collecting them into so-called Jews’ houses. From the start of the war in September 1939, Jews had to stay indoors in winter from 8.00 pm, in summer from 9.00 pm. My young brother Micheli, aged eight, experienced such restrictions at first hand. At one point a ruling came into force stating that Jewish children could not play outside. [Micheli] was sent to stay with Cousin Hanna in Marburg, who told him, “Here you can play with the children in the street; they don’t know you’re Jewish.” After a few days he himself told them he was Jewish, then he could no longer play outside. Then their parents came to Hannah and her mother, saying, “If you don’t send him away, we’ll smash your windows in.” So he had to go back home where he could not play outside.

It is almost impossible to believe the hysteria that had taken hold of the German people, even to the extent of forbidding children to play in the street. The fanatical hatred of the Jews, preached by Hitler, spread by Goebbels and his propaganda machine, gradually took hold of ordinary people and led them into crimes justified, in their eyes, by the goal of building up a ‘purified’ German nation. With some honourable exceptions, they were unable to see that their actions produced a state that was criminal in all its actions, the very opposite of “pure”.

• Let One Go Free (pdf)