Jeanne Gottfried shares the Holocaust experiences of her parents, Kitty and Jerry Gottfried, who escaped Nazi-occupied Austria through the Kindertransport and other refugee routes after Kristallnacht. Through their story, students learn about Jewish life in prewar Vienna, the rise of Nazi persecution, Kristallnacht, the Kindertransport, the experiences of child refugees, foster care in England, family separation, immigration, and rebuilding life after the Holocaust. Jeanne also encourages students to reflect on courage, compassion, resilience, and the lasting impact of offering refuge to those in need.
About Jeanne
Jeanne Gottfried has dedicated more than 40 years to supporting students with special education needs and visual impairments. She and her husband, Bill, have worked as special education teachers and teachers of students who are blind or visually impaired since 1980 and continue to work in semi-retirement.
Jeanne serves on the Executive Board of Directors and the Speakers’ Bureau of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, where she shares her mother’s Kindertransport story with students and community groups. She is also active at Temple Beth-El and is a member of the Kindertransport Association.
Jeanne and Bill have two grown daughters and have opened their home to eight rescued dogs and five rescued cats over the years. Through her presentations, Jeanne helps students understand the experiences of child refugees, the lasting impact of family separation, and the importance of compassion, courage, and preserving Holocaust memory.
Parents: Kitty Gottfried and Jerry Gottfried
Before the War
Both of Jeanne Gottfried’s parents were born and raised in Vienna, Austria, where they grew up in the vibrant Jewish community before the rise of Nazi persecution.
Their Holocaust Story
After Kristallnacht on November 9 and 10, 1938, and the death of her father on December 12, 1938, Kitty’s maternal uncles arranged for her to escape to England on the Kindertransport at the age of 12. Her uncles were later murdered in the Holocaust. Kitty spent the war years in England, living with several foster families before beginning work as a baby nurse at age 16.
Jeanne also shares the story of her father, Jerry, who, like Kitty, fled Vienna after Kristallnacht. Kitty traveled to North America aboard the Aquitania, arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on April 11, 1945, and in New York City the following day.
After the War
Kitty and Jerry met in New York City and were married in November 1947. Kitty worked first as a seamstress, then as a dressmaker, and later became a fashion stylist in New York City. They raised two daughters before retiring to Providence in 1988, where they cared full time for their grandchildren. Kitty continued to use her sewing talents by providing tailoring and clothing alterations for members of the Rhode Island community. Kitty and Jerry often described those years with their grandchildren as the happiest years of their lives.