'In the Footsteps of the Holocaust' - A talk by author Ainslie Hepburn

This is a story of 'ordinary' people – ordinary people who were caught up in the cataclysm of events in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. A discovery of letters that had been carefully kept for decades since that time led to the uncovering of a family story that took the author on a journey in the footsteps of her husband's grandparents through Germany, Belgium, and France.

Hermann Hartog (1887 – 1942) was a Jewish teacher in the north-west of Germany. He and his wife, Henny (1897 – 1942), recognised that Germany was becoming an unsafe place for Jews and sent their daughters to England for safety. As a leader of his community, Hermann stayed for as long as he could. After 'Kristallnacht' in November 1938, Hermann was arrested with other Jewish men and sent to the concentration camp at Sachsenhausen. On release, Henry and Henny fled to Belgium and then to France where in 1942 they were captured by French police - acting on the orders of the Vichy government and the Nazi occupiers of France. It was part of a round-up of Jews to deport them for extermination. After a long journey, Henry and Henny Hartog were murdered in Auschwitz in September 1942.

An active memory of the Hartog family lives on. In France and Germany, 'ordinary' people remember their names, commemorate their legacy, and work to build communities where tolerance, acceptance, and friendship can thrive.

Ainslie brings this story to life in an engaging talk illustrated with slides.

Timings & Tours

Tuesday 16 September:

1300

Location & directions

Connaught Road, Worthy Down, Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 2RG

Contact on day:

Gemma Ingason

Telephone number:

+441962887793

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Please book early to avoid disappointment.

Booking contact name:

Hampshire History Trust

Booking telephone number:

+441962887793

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking website:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hampshire-history-trust

Booking opens:

08 Aug 2025 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

10 Sep 2025 12:00 AM

Additional information

Max no of people per tour:

25

Est. tour duration:

1 hour(s)

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