Grete Winton was a Danish woman born Grete Gjelstrup on December 21, 1919. Famously known as the wife of Sir Nicholas Winton, the humanitarian who saved 669 Jewish children from the Holocaust, Grete has a story of quiet strength and unwavering support. And her journey through life – sometimes overshadowed by her husband’s greatness – is a testament to her character and the role she played in their shared legacy.
Early Life and Education
Grete Gjelstrup was raised in Denmark. Details about her early life and education are scant but she was raised in a liberal family that valued education and community. Her upbringing in Denmark gave her values and resilience which would later reflect in her life work and support for her husband’s humanitarian efforts.
Career
Grete was primarily a homemaker and a partner to her husband, Nicholas Winton. Grete’s devotion to her family and support for Nicholas’s work helped him to carry out his humanitarian work. As a mother and wife, she was always committed to her family and her husband’s mission.
Rise to Fame
Grete Winton became famous after learning of her husband’s World War II heroic acts. Grete found in their attic a scrapbook from 1988 about Nicholas saving Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. This discovery brought Nicholas’s story to light, earning him the “British Schindler,” and made Grete famous as the woman who unearthed this history.
Marital Life
In October 1948, Grete married Nicholas Winton. Their union was built on respect, love, and humanitarian values. Together, they raised three children in an environment built around family and service. Grete supported Nicholas wholeheartedly and the two had a shared sense of purpose.
Public Appearances
Grete avoided the limelight but did make a few public appearances in support of her husband’s recognition and humanitarian work. She went to events and ceremonies, including those honoring Nicholas and his knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003.
Controversies/Scandals
Grete Winton lived without public scandals and controversies. She maintained a low profile and concentrated on her family and personal life. She was a homemaker and a private person, and this kept her away from the clamoring spotlight of the public eye.
Her Husband, Nicholas Winton
Nicky Winton, born Nicholas George Wertheim, on May 19, 1909, in Hampstead, London, was a British stockbroker and humanitarian. He is best known for saving 669 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938 and 1939 in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport.
Conclusion
Winton was a quiet strong woman who worked hard and supported her family and her humanitarian husband. Her finding of Nicholas’s scrapbook revealed a touching story of courage and compassion – and she herself contributed to that legacy. Grete is a reminder of how much quiet strength and determination can change the world. She lived a life often eclipsed by her husband’s success but one of support, love, and resilience.
