In January, we marked Holocaust Memorial Day. In the weeks that have followed, at the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT), we have reflected on the privilege it is to connect with the incredible community of genocide survivors we work with. Today I’d like to focus on one in particular as he turns 100: Henry Wuga MBE.
Born in Germany on this day in 1924, Henry's life took a turn when he escaped Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport. Upon arrival in the UK, he was taken in by Mrs Hurwich, a Jewish immigrant from Latvia. After the Second World War began, it became challenging for Henry to contact his parents, so he wrote letters to them via his uncles in France and Belgium. Aged 16, Henry was interned on the Isle of Man, charged with corresponding with the enemy.
When the war ended, Scotland firmly became his home. He married Ingrid Wolff, a fellow German Jewish refugee, and they raised a family in Glasgow. They dedicated years to charity and educating thousands of young people about the Holocaust, including the 16-year-old me, who didn’t realise just how huge a part this couple would play in my life. From the moment I met them , we were firm friends. I invited them to speak at my school and at others in Glasgow. I have since given talks on their experience across the country, and it is a privilege to carry their testimony with me.
In addition to their talks about the Holocaust, Henry and Ingrid spent 20 years fundraising for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice and 28 years working with the British Limbless Ex-Serviceman’s Association, teaching people with missing limbs how to ski.
Henry's love for Scotland only grew, particularly for our national bard, Robert Burns. It was this love and the coincidence of Burns Night being celebrated just two days before Holocaust Memorial Day that led to our shared project: a dedicated educational resource using Burns's poetry and Henry’s testimony to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
HMDT is privileged to enjoy cross-party support, but so does Henry. Speaking together, three of his local elected representatives, Kirsten Oswald MP, Jackson Carlaw MSP and Paul O’Kane MSP, said: "Henry Wuga is an inspiration to us all. He has displayed incredible dedication and tenacity in his mission to share his testimony with so many young people. We owe him an immense debt of gratitude for all he has done. We are delighted to come together to wish Henry a very happy 100th birthday.” First Minister Humza Yousaf also praised Henry, adding: “Henry is a truly remarkable person. I’d like to offer him my warmest wishes on his very special 100th birthday, and thank him for all his incredible work in helping us commemorate the Holocaust and tackle antisemitism in Scotland.”
As we mark his centenary, I am acutely aware that this occasion is not solely about the passage of time but about honouring a life that has left a mark on my own. Our friendship is a reminder that, even in the face of unspeakable tragedy, the human spirit can endure, rebuild, and thrive.
Today, I raise a toast. Happy 100th Birthday, Henry – a century of inspiration and warmth that has touched all fortunate enough to know you.
Kirsty Robson is the Senior Public Affairs and Outreach Officer at the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here