Gwrych Castle, located in north Wales near Abergele, gained widespread recognition as the temporary home of the popular show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, during the coronavirus pandemic. Due to travel restrictions in Australia, where the series is typically filmed, the castle hosted the show in 2020 and 2021. However, long before its reality TV fame, Gwrych Castle served as a haven for Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II.
Between 1939 and 1941, approximately 200 Jewish refugees found safety within the walls of Gwrych Castle as part of the Kindertransport initiative. The castle became one of twenty agricultural training centers, known as hachsharot, that relocated to Britain from Germany during the war. A new book, titled “Escape to Gwrych Castle: A Jewish Refugee Story,” shares the complete history of how the castle played a pivotal role in sheltering vulnerable Jewish children during the Holocaust. The author, Andrew Hesketh, describes it as a symbol of hope and a journey from darkness to light, as the children rebuilt their lives.
The Kindertransport scheme, supported by the British Government, aimed to rescue children from Nazi Germany and other occupied countries before the outbreak of World War II. Nearly 10,000 predominantly Jewish children were brought to the UK, including from Germany, Poland, Australia, and Czechoslovakia. While most of these children were placed in foster homes upon arrival, several hundred ended up in Jewish agricultural centers that prepared them for a future Jewish state in Palestine.
Lord Dundonald, the owner of Gwrych Castle, generously offered the derelict building as a refuge due to its poor condition, lack of electricity, and lack of occupancy since 1924. When the castle center opened in August 1939, days before the war began, the children initially slept on hard floors. However, donations from Marks & Spencer and the local Baptist church improved their living conditions. The water supply was insufficient for 200 people, so the children had to carry buckets of water from the kitchen to their washrooms. In addition to their agricultural work on local farms, the children received education led by a rabbi to nurture their religious understanding.
During their free time, the children enjoyed playing football, table tennis, and hosting parties. Many of them had previously been sent to Great Engeham Farm in Kent before arriving at Gwrych Castle. Thirty-one of the teenagers were on the last Kindertransport train before the outbreak of war. The selection of teenagers at the castle was carefully done by Erwin Seligman, a member of Bachad, the Zionist youth organization responsible for the training centers. Despite the hardships they had endured, the children found solace and hope at Gwrych Castle, establishing a future through their perseverance.
One prominent figure associated with Gwrych Castle and Bachad was Arieh Handler, who married at the castle in 1940. Arieh played a vital role in organizing the evacuation of children from Nazi-controlled areas. His grandson, Aviv, expressed gratitude for Andrew Hesketh’s book, which shed light on his grandfather’s experiences and revealed previously unknown details.
Unfortunately, the center at Gwrych Castle had to close in 1941 due to the extensive investment required to make the castle habitable in the long run. Instead, the Cadbury family offered the teenagers an alternative location in Birmingham, which was more cost-effective and required less investment. Many of the boys went on to serve in the British armed forces, while others migrated to Palestine and stayed after the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.
Gwrych Castle remained vacant for the rest of the war and was eventually sold. In the late 1940s, it was transformed into a visitor attraction and later used for training and entertainment purposes, including jousting events. However, it closed to the public in the 1980s and fell into disrepair. In 2007, a property developer acquired the castle with plans to convert it into a hotel. After the developer went bankrupt, the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust took ownership and reopened the castle to visitors.
The story of Gwrych Castle and its integral role in providing refuge for Jewish children during World War II serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Andrew Hesketh’s book captures the unique and compelling history of the castle, ensuring that the memories of these brave children and their journey from darkness to light are preserved for future generations.
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