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Marion Walter was born in 1928 to a Jewish family in Berlin.

In 1939, she escaped Nazi Germany on a Kindertransport - a rescue operation that evacuated thousands of Jewish children to England before WWII.

Eventually Marion arrived in the US & earned her doctorate in math education from Harvard. She became a professor & founded the Boston Area Mathematics Specialists focused on improving math education for children.

Marion passed away in 2021, at age 92. https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Walter/ #HistoryRemix

This entry was edited (1 year ago)
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Wonderful story.
So many other terminated life lines, so much achievement lost to barbarism.
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

⬆️

I just learned ⬇️ that a recently deceased Professor Emeritus of #Chemistry at my alma mater #McMasterUniversity , Ian Spencer, was also saved by the #Kindertransport before #WorldWar2 .

In our many fascinating conversations, and exhausting squash games, he never mentioned it. He was a real mensch! 🪦

https://www.chemistry.mcmaster.ca/news/688-ian-d-spenser,-frsc,-1924-2022.html
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Thankyou for your post. This is exactly why we should speak out when politics brings back into fashion anti-immigration and dehumanising people who are in need. Very sad that just now in the UK the Government would refuse entry to Kindertransports should they look for help today.
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

I think sharing such individual life stories is such an important way of holding the value of each life in mind. Also, from a #history perspective, it shows a connection to historical events through the life of a successful woman facing the adversity of her time as a trailblazer for other women.
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

I took a friend, (who had never heard of Kindertransports,) to see The Pianist of Willesden Lane at the San Diego Repertory Theatre a few years back. It was, as described, mesmerizing. We need more storytelling like this.

#ThePianistOfWillesdenLane
#Kindertransport
#MonaGolabek
#LisaJura

https://youtu.be/E8QR6ueLHyk
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Love it! Their mathematicians by country page is really interesting too!

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