New project to remember 'living legacy' of Scottish missionary who died in Auschwitz

Jane Haining (Photo: Church of Scotland)

Plans are underway to remember a Church of Scotland missionary who gave her life to protect Jewish school girls during the Holocaust.

Jane Haining, from the village of Dunscore in Dumfries and Galloway, was matron at the Scottish Mission School in Budapest, Hungary, when World War II broke out in 1939. 

Despite the risk to her own life, she refused to abandon "her girls", saying, "If these children need me in days of sunshine, how much more do they need me in days of darkness?"

She was eventually arrested by the Gestapo in April 1944 and died a few months later in Auschwitz at the age of 47.

Her bravery was recognised posthumously with a Heroine of the Holocaust medal by the UK Government. She is also the only Scot to be named Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to victims of the Holocaust.

A group of Christians and Jews have come together to form the Jane Haining Project to keep her story alive at a time of growing antisemitism. 

Jane Haining and "her girls" having fun on Lake Balaton in Hungary where summer holidays were spent in a rented villa. (Photo: Church of Scotland)

The group is working with public agencies to launch a national essay-writing competition for schools, and develop a digital heritage trail app of notable places connected to both the Jewish community and the missionary. 

Speaking ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day on Thursday, Church of Scotland minister and member of the project committee, Rev Ian Alexander, said: "Jane Haining showed tremendous courage in the face of intolerable evil and her heart-breaking and inspirational story is as important today as ever.

"We hope that the exciting two core activities that are currently being developed will help keep her memory alive for generations to come."

James Roberts, Christian Programme Manager with the Council of Christians and Jews, is also involved in the project.

"Jane Haining's story is one that young people can identify with and it evokes a strong emotional response," he said.

"By refusing to be a bystander, she demonstrated her loving kindness, her sense of fairness, justice and solidarity and her contempt of discrimination in her refusal to treat her Jewish pupils as 'the other'.

"In this light, the project aims to increase understanding, acceptance and kindness between individuals from different cultures and religious backgrounds and equip people to speak out against prejudice and take action to challenge antisemitism and discrimination." 

News
Richard Moth appointed as new Archbishop of Westminster
Richard Moth appointed as new Archbishop of Westminster

Bishop Richard Moth has been confirmed as the new Archbishop of Westminster, the most senior post in the Catholic Church in England and Wales. 

The mystery of the Wise Men
The mystery of the Wise Men

The carol assures us that “We three kings of Orient are…” and tells us they were “following yonder star”. Can we be sure there were three of them? Were they kings? Where in the Orient were they from? What was the star they followed? In fact, there is a lot that we just do not know. This is the story …

English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day
English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day

English Heritage has admitted it got it wrong when it shared false claims that the date of Christmas is derived from a pagan Roman festival in honour of a sun god.

Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'
Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'

Pam Knowles started helping out her church Sunday school in 1951 at the age of 13.