Bob Mackenzie

Bob Mackenzie

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Bob was born in Chemnitz, Germany, of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother. He was not brought up Jewish. After his father was sent briefly to a concentration camp, he was sent on the Kindertransport to Scotland. He was brought up by a Scottish family and changed his name to theirs in gratitude. His parents… Continue Reading Bob Mackenzie

Bob Mackenzie – Reflection on Life

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Bob talks about the reasons he sees himself as Scottish and reflects on his good fortune in life. INT: You sound so much like just an average Scots person, you really do. Do you think of yourself at all as German anymore? BM: No INT: Not at all? BM: Not a bit. INT: When did… Continue Reading Bob Mackenzie – Reflection on Life

Bob Mackenzie – Discovering Sarok and Bob’s Return to his Childhood Home

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In 1990, near the end of my service, I was working on a contract in the Outer Hebrides when I saw a letter in The Sunday Post asking if anyone knew anything about the Kindertransport to contact the person below. Coming home for the weekend, I phoned the number listed and spoke to Dorrith Sim.… Continue Reading Bob Mackenzie – Discovering Sarok and Bob’s Return to his Childhood Home

Bob Mackenzie – Integration

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Bob starts work and moves to Renfrew as an apprentice mechanical engineer. He changes his name to Mackenzie to thank the family who rescued his sister and him. He learns about the survival of his parents and the death of his grandfather. He marries and then joins the RAF. He describes his mother’s first visit… Continue Reading Bob Mackenzie – Integration

Bob Mackenzie – Life During the War

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Bob loses his German but becomes proficient in English. BM:Once the war started we were only allowed to write twenty-five words per month through the Red Cross. When war broke out Janet joined the Land Army and Jessie looked after the house. So over the years one can say that Jessie virtually brought us up.… Continue Reading Bob Mackenzie – Life During the War

Bob Mackenzie – Settling In

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Bob describes his new family, the Mackenzies, and their efforts to get his parents out of Germany. BM: Mr Mackenzie’s house consisted of the main house and a small attached cottage. The Mackenzie family were made up of Granny Mackenzie, Mr Mackenzie (a widower) and three daughters; Agnes, Janet and Jessie. The family lived in… Continue Reading Bob Mackenzie – Settling In

Bob Mackenzie – Life Before the War

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I was born in the town of Chemnitz in South East Germany. I do not recollect my very early years but in 1933 my father lost his job in Chemnitz and we moved to a small town called Neukirchen, about five miles from Chemnitz. My parents bought a semi-detached house with a large piece of… Continue Reading Bob Mackenzie – Life Before the War