Nazi soldiers took his harmonica in 1939. This week a schoolboy gave him a new one

Petr Schiller and his brother Rudolf, who was eight, left Prague on the last Kindertransport train. Their visas were arranged by Nicholas Winton, who got hundreds of children out before the war.

On the way, Nazi soldiers took Petr’s harmonica. In Britain he changed his name to Peter. He grew up to be a psychiatrist, and today he has three children and seven grandchildren.

Ben

Ben Hardy is 11 and goes to Bishop’s Stortford College. His school set a project on Dunkirk Spirit. Ben did 55 interviews in 18 places, from Dover to Barnard Castle.

Dr Schiller was one of them. He told Ben that people are good. “Even though I’m old now,” he said, “if I stumble on the pavement, there’s always someone there who is willing to help.”

The visit

The project grew into a book and an exhibition. This week Ben went back to Dr Schiller’s home with the book, an apple strudel his mum Liz made, and a new harmonica.

“He is warm, welcoming and has so much inside of him,” Ben said. “I hope to see him again soon.”