Sidney Mayer

Interview Summary

Sidney was born in Böchingen, a small village in Germany, in 1925. His parents worked together as wholesale cattle dealers and ran the family vineyard, and Sidney enjoyed village life. By 1935, he was forbidden to attend school and his parents had to give up their business. On Kristallnacht his father was sent to Dachau. His mother secured Sidney a place on the Kindertransport and he was offered a home with a Jewish family in Glasgow. When correspondence from his mother stopped, he realised that he would never see her again. His strong will and determination saw him succeeding in business. He brought his children up in Scotland, which he always considered as home. (Dovercourt, Langside School – Glasgow, Giffnock Hebrew Congregation)