The Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre was saddened to hear of the recent death of Henry Wuga, at the age of 100. A popular figure in the Jewish community in Glasgow, Henry was known widely for his dedicated work in the area of Holocaust Education.
Born Heinz Martin Wuga in Nuremberg, Henry came to Scotland in 1939 at the age of 15 and a half, when his mother managed to get him a place on the Kindertransport. He was taken in by Mrs Eta Hurwich and lived in Glasgow, where he stayed for the rest of his life. Henry married Ingrid, a fellow Kindertransportee, and went into business as a kosher caterer.
(Image courtesy of Scottish Jewish Archives Centre)
(Image courtesy of Scottish Jewish Archives Centre)
(Image courtesy of Scottish Jewish Archives Centre)
In retirement, Henry dedicted time to Holocaust Education, supported by Ingrid and their daughters Gillian and Hilary. He also volunteeed as a ski instructor with the British Limbless Ex-Serviceman’s Association (BLESMA), teaching people with missing limbs how to ski. This led to his being awarded an MBE in 1999.
We are fortunate that Henry was so generous in sharing his story of being a refugee who came to Scotland. His testimony is available from a number of sources. We recommend:
- The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust – Includes Henry’s life story and a specially-created resource for schools
- Gathering the Voices – Oral history interview with Henry
- Jewish Museum in Berlin – A video of Henry from 2017
- Points of Arrival – A short film about Henry’s life
