The German Embassy, London, in partnership with the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), welcomed nine extraordinary guests on 8 December for a deeply moving and historic gathering: an afternoon tea honouring Holocaust survivors and refugees aged 100 years and over.
Hosted by Her Excellency Susanne Bauman, the event brought together individuals whose lives span more than a century of history and resilience.
The tea provided a warm and intimate setting for Ambassador Bauman and the AJR to celebrate the lives and contributions of some of the last remaining eyewitnesses to the Holocaust—individuals who have not only survived persecution but rebuilt their lives in Britain with remarkable courage and determination.
Among the guests were:
Henny Franks (102) who escaped Nazi-occupied Germany via the Kindertransport before serving in the British Army during the Second World War. Recruited at 19 into the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), she trained in Nottingham and later worked transporting ammunition in Westcliff-on-Sea. Henny has been awarded the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939–45, and in 2023—the year she turned 100—the HM Armed Forces Veteran Badge, which she accepted with characteristic humility, remarking, “I didn’t know I was eligible.”
Anne Callendar (105) who only joined the AJR at age 103, and had never previously engaged with a Jewish or refugee community organisation. Her testimony has since been recorded for the AJR’s Refugee Voices Archive, including her parents’ recollections of Kristallnacht and her father’s arrest and imprisonment in Dachau. She received her AJR membership at the German Embassy in 2023—an especially fitting tribute to her remarkable life and journey.
Kurt Marx (100) who witnessed Kristallnacht firsthand and later travelled to the UK on the Kindertransport. Born in Germany in 1924, he survived persecution, served in the British Army, built a successful career, and raised a family in Britain. This year, he marked a joyful milestone by celebrating his third Bar Mitzvah.
Alice Hubbers (100) who left Vienna on a Kindertransport at age 14. Her father, imprisoned in Dachau and then Buchenwald, was unaware that her mother had arranged her escape. Her parents later fled to Shanghai, returning to Austria in 1946; Alice was reunited with them in 1947. After arriving in the UK, she lived in Dovercourt camp and with families across Lincoln, Scotland, Torquay, and London before working in retail—fondly recalling her time at Selfridges. She later married, had three children, and is now grandmother to four and great-grandmother to four.
Reflecting on the event, AJR CEO Michael Newman OBE said: “It was profoundly moving to bring together these remarkable centenarians—people who have lived through one of the darkest chapters of history yet have gone on to build rich, full lives in Britain. We are immensely grateful to Ambassador Baumann for honouring them with such warm hospitality. Their stories remind us of the enduring importance of memory and the responsibility we all share to ensure that their experiences continue to be heard.”
The AJR expressed its deep appreciation to Ambassador Bauman and the German Embassy for recognising the significance of these individuals and for hosting such a meaningful occasion. The gathering underscored the shared commitment to remembrance, reconciliation, and ensuring that the lessons of history endure for generations to come.
Photography by Adam Soller Photography
