Nicholas Winton - Early Life

Early Life

In 1907, Winton's parents, who were of German-Jewish origin, moved from Germany to Hampstead, London, where Nicholas was born. The family name was Wertheim, but they subsequently changed it to Winton.

The family eventually converted to Christianity and Winton was baptised. In 1923, he transferred to Stowe School, which had just opened. He left without matriculating, attending night school while volunteering at the Military Bank. Some time later, he left for Hamburg where he began to work at Behrens Bank, and then for Wasserman Bank in Berlin. In 1931, he left for France where he worked for the Banque Nationale de Crédit in Paris and earned a banking qualification. After his return to London he worked as a stockbroker at the London Stock Exchange.