By Hannah Trusch
The world's oldest active journalist, Walter Bingham, escaped the Holocaust by fleeing to England on a Kindertransport. On October 8, 2023, in the shadow of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, his story brings him back to the country he fled: Germany. Walter Bingham looks back and then forward.
When asked how he is doing, Walter Bingham replies: “I’m doing well. On a good day I feel like I’m 40, on a bad day like I’m 50, and today is a good day.” Besides his sense of humor, the centenarian possesses an unwavering faith in his country, Israel. He is a regular at Café Europa in Jerusalem, which is supported by Christians standing with Israel . Here, Holocaust survivors can share their experiences, enjoy coffee, and take advantage of various entertainment options.
Bingham's story
Walter Bingham was born in Germany in 1924, exactly 100 years ago. He attended school during the Weimar Republic. Everything changed, including his school life, when Hitler came to power. Walter Bingham managed to escape to England in time with the religious Zionist youth movement on one of the Kindertransports. There he served in the army for over four years. Regarding his military service, he said: “I had no country to fight for. England was not my country. My motivation was not to fight for England, but to fight against the Nazis.”
As an ambulance driver, he also participated in the Allied landings in Normandy in 1944. Through a miraculous transfer to an office in London, he survived the war, married in London, and lived in the United Kingdom for 50 years because of his wife's love for England. After her death, his daughter immigrated to Israel, and he eventually followed her there.
Following the trail of the Kindertransport
On October 7, 2023, Bingham was preparing to leave Israel the following day. The children's transport that rescued him from Germany became the impetus for his return: The organization "March of the Living" selected three former refugees and invited them to Germany to relive their journey. One of them was Walter Bingham.
Bingham reports that it was incredibly difficult for him to leave Israel on October 8th in the shadow of the Hamas terrorist attack. "If it hadn't been for this important issue, to tell the world [about the Kindertransports], I would never have left my country." His journey, during which he relived the Kindertransport, stirred many memories.
“I don’t want to describe the atrocities committed by Germany. I cannot describe the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th,” Bingham begins. But there is a crucial difference between these two atrocities. While the Holocaust was a state-organized event, October 7th was orchestrated by a terrorist group, Bingham argues. Although Hamas rules over Gaza, it is not a state. Therefore, the two cannot be compared. “October 7th was indescribably cruel, but it was not the Holocaust,” he emphasizes. That is why he was appalled when he saw the Israeli UN ambassador wearing a yellow star after the events of October 7th. This diminishes the Holocaust and its impact.
Bingham sees another difference in the existence of Israel. The Holocaust was an organized killing machine over a long period. October 7th was a terrorist attack of the most gruesome brutality, but it struck the State of Israel, which was capable of defending itself. Bingham emphasizes: “We are capable of fighting these terrorists. We are doing so, and we are defeating them.”
His activism is evident here: he would like to serve in the army. Not on the front lines, but at a checkpoint. He could handle it. This devotion to his country stems entirely from his conviction: country first, individual second. He is also convinced of this in relation to the hostages, as terrible as it is. But, he reiterates, the country is more important than the individual.
Bingham's hope
Bingham's confidence in the Israeli state shines through time and again. He lists past world empires: the Roman Empire, the Ottomans, the British Empire… “They are all gone. But we are still here and we will always be here.” Am Israel chai (“The people of Israel live”), he says with absolute certainty.
Bingham has no time for wallowing in the good old days, as old people often do. He only feels old in front of the mirror; otherwise, he loves life and has plenty to do. His motto, "Today is the day to live," is also reflected in his perspective on the escalating violence in Israel. He explains, "Unfortunately, we have some problems here. But we live in an age that could be paradise. I see a wonderful future. We're not going anywhere. We'll defeat them all, just as we have in the past." Once again, the "Am Yisrael Chai" shines through his words. The Jewish people will live.
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 137. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies to display and distribute.
