Henry Wuga: Holocaust survivor who fled to Scotland dies aged 100
- Published
Henry celebrated his100th birthday in February
A World War Two refugee who fled to Scotland from Germany via the Kindertransport child safety mission, has died.
Henry Wuga celebrated his 100th birthday in February.
Mr Wuga, who was Jewish, escaped persecution from the Nazis in Germany in May 1939, at the age of 15, and made Glasgow his home.
He and his wife Ingrid spent the following decades educating people about the Holocaust.
The Holocaust Memorial Trust said he made an "immense impact".
Reflecting on his life in February, he said: "I may be 100 but I don't feel 100. To be 100 is quite an idea."
Mr Wuga was born in Nuremberg in 1924. He was able to escape the persecution in Nazi Germany in May 1939 through the Kindertransport mission.
This was established in the wake of Kristallnacht in November 1938, when 267 synagogues were destroyed, 91 Jews were killed and 30,000 people were taken to concentration camps.
Taking its name from the German word for children, Kindertransport brought about 10,000 mostly Jewish refugee children from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia to Britain.
Henry was born in Germany and fled to Scotland in 1939
Olivia Marks-Woldman, chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Trust, said: "We are heartbroken at the passing of Henry Wuga MBE.
"Henry was a gentleman: charming, dapper and above all, a force for good.
"The work that he, and his late wife Ingrid did, in sharing their testimonies, made an immense impact on thousands of people across Scotland."
Michael Newman, of the Association of Jewish Refugees, said the group was"deeply saddened" to hear of his death.
He said: "We are grateful to have had the opportunity to capture Henry's testimony as part of our refugee voices archive.
"Capturing experiences like Henry's helps preserve the record of the Holocaust and enables us all learn about his remarkable life and the contribution he made to his adopted home."
Henry as a child with his parents
First Minister Humza Yousaf said Mr Wuga's loss would be felt by communities across Scotland.
"I'm devastated to hear of Henry's passing," he said.
"He worked over decades to remind us of the horrors of the Holocaust, which must never be forgotten."
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar described Mr Wuga as "warm, charming and compassionate", adding: "We owe it to his generation to share their stories and always strive for peace."
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described Mr Wuga as "an extraordinary human being".
"With quiet dignity, he reminded us of the power of love and humanity. He was also full of stories and fun," she added.
Ahead of Mr Wuga's 100th birthday in February, his local MSP Jackson Carlaw paid a tribute in Holyrood during First Minister's Questions.
"In his own quiet way, Henry was a statesman. May his memory be a blessing," he said.
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- Published29 January
