Esther Simpson

tomorrow evening (monday 25th), 7.30-8.00pm, on bbc radio 4 (repeated from may 2017)
miss simpson’s children (presented by david edmonds)

Miss Simpson’s children

this morning (friday 12th), 11.00-11.30am, on bbc radio 4
miss simpson’s children (presented by david edmonds)

“Shortly after Hitler came to power, an organisation was set up in Britain to help academics who were being thrown out of their jobs in Nazi Germany. It was called the Academic Assistance Council.
The council’s assistant secretary, Esther Simpson, became its dynamic force. She called all the refugees she assisted her ‘children’, and helped to transform the cultural and intellectual landscape of Britain and the United States.
Sixteen of them ended up as Nobel Prize winners. Many would later admit that they owed their lives to her.
Both Esther’s parents, the Sinoviches, were immigrants from Russia: ‘He was in the clothing industry in Leeds. How is this relevant?'”

including contributions from …
• simpson’s successor, liz fraser
• paul broder (son of engelbert broder)
• professor michael yudkin
• justice albie sachs