Last Train to London

Once again this is a novel that highlights some of the more obscure facts that happened during the worst war in history.  Last Train to London written by Meg Waite Clayton tells the story of the Kinder transport.

In this novel Clayton tells the story of Geertruida Wijsmuller, known as “Tante Truus” who is part of the Dutch resistance. She helps children to escape out of Nazi controlled areas to places that will take them.  She has been taking chances as she works to rescue many children as we meet her at the beginning of the book.   She then is willing to risk everything when the chance to save hundreds of children becomes available. She approaches Adolf Eichmann after hearing that Britain is willing to accept children coming in by train to London.  they will then place them with families across the country.  Eichmann gives her a number and time limit and Truus races against the clock to get her train on the way to London in time. 

Two other stories are starting at different locations heading toward the same train station to hopefully meet up with the Kindertransport.  Can they meet there in time and will there be room for them on the train car?  Stephan Newman, a 17 year old Jewish youth and his young brother are left alone together when their parents are taken in a raid.  He has grown up in an influential and wealthy family in Vienna and as a young budding playwright feels only anger toward the changing situation in Europe.

Žofie-Helene, is the brilliant teen Christian girl whose mother edits a progressive, anti-Nazi newspaper.  She is a math prodigy and friends with Stephan.  She tries to help Stephan using her math skills and ability to negotiate the tunnels under the city as the Nazis close in.

Using factual information about Geertruida Wijsmuller, who was married to a Dutch banker, who supported her work along the way this novel fleshes out her personal story.  She was childless herself experiencing many miscarriages.  But through her own personal loss she continued to rescue children and sending them from the Baltics and Poland across borders to Palestine via Marseilles.