Book Launch: The Boy in the Statue

The Boy in the Statue is the personal story of a Jewish refugee boy, Erich, who arrived in this country from Nazi-occupied Europe three days before the start of the war. He was just four, and would never see his parents again.

Erich’s earliest memories are of the tiny room he slept in off the bedroom of the couple he called Mutti and Vater but who were the Kreibichs, his foster parents. Traumatised by the separation from his birth family he blocks out, from then to now, all memory of his life before, even failing to recognise his eldest brother when he turns up years later.

Erich must come to terms with the realisation that the Kreibichs are not his real parents, to learn of his past, his family and how he came on the Kindertransport.

The book follows his unusual journey from orphan refugee boy to man, and from Vienna to Buckingham Palace!

The evening will feature words from Sir Erich Reich.

Sir Erich Reich is chairman of the Kindertransport-Association of Jewish Refugees, and through his innovative concept of overseas charity challenges, helped to raise millions for charity.