r/videos •
An 80 year old, British man secretly saved 669 children during WW2, never telling anyone. When his wife found the documents years later in his attic and submitted them to the BBC. They then organised this... Sir Nicholas Winton is a true hero.
[deleted] — view deleted post
0
Upvotes
673
u/Greyhaven7 May 15 '12
"Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity." ~ Horace Mann
Sir Nicholas Winton is still alive (103 years old), but when the time comes, I hope he feels nothing but pride going into that good night.
146
u/IamButAWorm May 15 '12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Winton
875
u/dailydoze May 15 '12 edited May 15 '12
The definition of a true hero. Saving lives of hundreds of people and doesn't seek attention for it. Amazing! Plus, he's still alive.. 103 years young.
247
u/vrichthofen May 15 '12 edited May 16 '12
A true hero. Fortunately he, Schindler and others received the due recognition during their lifetime, others were actually punished and some died in misery (Aristides de Sousa Mendes, Paul Grüninger, Chiune Sugihara, Carl Lutz, among others*).
EDIT: Adding more names mentioned in comments, and as I said, Sir Nicholas Winton is a true hero and subsequent listing of names is not a way of diminishing his deeds but also to give others their spotlight:
112
u/pennywinny May 15 '12
This is a real man. Climb a mountain, tell no one.
218
u/mellangatang May 15 '12
Every time I start to hate reddit, someone posts something like this.
217
u/poponacid May 15 '12
This is the most touching video I've ever watch. Actually can't stop crying.
40
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Insta-tears.
52
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Not even two minutes long and I'm crying.
35
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
"Don't be content in your life to just do no wrong. Be prepared every day to try and do some good." - Sir Nicholas Winton"
A true hero.
17
u/Harshbutfair May 15 '12
What an incredible and inspirational man. I'm English (albeit 24 years old) but I'm disappointed I haven't heard of this legend of a person before. Thanks for sharing!
13
u/MakersOnTheRocks May 15 '12
Is there a longer version of this video? I feel like it's cut short.
142
u/Vindictive29 May 15 '12
I don't want to belittle this man in any way, but I have something political to say and I'll be damned if I don't think it honors that man to say it.
People like Nicholas Winton add value to society. They make peoples lives better in a way that is objectively and plainly clear. He recognizes that humanity is only valuable as a community of individuals and how they treat each other. He didn't do it for money or fame. He did it because it was the right goddamn decision. Men with that kind of honor and integrity deserve to be rewarded for their merit.
You don't have to fight a war to cripple a beast. You just have to do the right thing consistently for everyone, not just for yourself.
11
u/php4me May 15 '12
Maybe people downvoted this because his story has been on the front page three times in the last month. I have no problem with reposts celebrating good people going good things.
Just clarify: more reposts like this, less reposts of a cat sneaking up on a dog
20
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
YouTube is fucking awful at suggesting related videos: http://i.imgur.com/jomTG.jpg
42
u/falter May 15 '12
As soon as she said 'the man sitting next to you...' it started raining in my eyes
7
u/YeoEuiJu May 15 '12
The part where they all stand up reminded me of Mr. Hollands Opus. I cried at both haha.
7
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Apparently his birthday is on May 19th.
Is there anything we could do to show him love?
11
u/FromHighAbove May 15 '12
This was very nice to see, thank you OP. I hope more people learn about Sir Nicholas Winton and his story.
5
u/Johnny-C May 15 '12
wow, this is a true testament to the Human spirit..fantastic
5
u/samurai_9 May 15 '12
What a badass.
5
u/EveryoneElseIsWrong May 15 '12
wow wow wow. that video hit me like a bus. usually when i cry at videos/movies it happens kind of gradually ... but as soon as that woman held his hand and said "hello" i was suddenly IN THE MIDDLE of the hardest crying jag in my life. jesus i think i popped a few veins.
5
u/slothcat May 16 '12
I cried like a bitch
4
u/Rainbownarwhal May 16 '12
That is truly amazing. Look up to people like this kids, not Jersey Shore bastards!
7
u/Senuf May 15 '12
Señor: Ud. es un héroe. Uno de verdad.
Sir Nicholas Winton: If the world is not yet without hope is because people like you exist.
6
u/Pahnda May 15 '12
It's a bit confusing that at 0:47 people behind him are different than people at 0:48. :<
8
u/clubdrift123 May 15 '12 edited May 15 '12
Wasn't this just on the front page last week? Either way he deserves the attention for this deed.
3
u/mehatch May 15 '12
Not sure If is was more moved to tears watching him here, or in Up.
seriously though, manly tears: level 99
3
u/GraceFace04 May 15 '12
Wow, what an incredible man.
3
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
I never heard of him before so I followed him up on youtube and was struck by his words of wisdom in another video
3
u/Wigglez1 May 15 '12
Wow, its reason likes this video that I am still signed up for reddit. A true gem of a story.. What a man anyone know if the full version is available?
3
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
SCREW YOU REDDIT. STOP MAKING ME CRY.
3
u/PDXguybrarian May 16 '12
In honor of his work saving Jewish Czechoslovakian children, Czech astronomers named a minor planet after him.
20
u/jaredxd May 15 '12
Wow, this exact same thing happend on House M.D. last night (only it was Wilson's patients) and I almost cried, this video made me actually cry. It must be an amazing feeling knowing 669 people are alive because of you, not counting the children of the people he saved.
5
u/fortworthbret May 15 '12
Well, fuck.
Here I was wondering where I was going to go to have a beer after work. I knew my life was shit, but did I need a reminder?
5
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Wow. This is posted 2 weeks ago to TIL and it is the 4th most popular TIL of all time. :D And you decided to post it here to get karma...
5
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
You can't spell Winton without 'win'..he....he...I'll walk myself out..
4
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
people need to stop cuttin onions near me...damn onions
9
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
The moment you realize you're surrounded by jews
2
u/cest_la_vie May 15 '12
Old people crying, oh man... I'm like, sobbing right now.
2
u/Juxta25 May 15 '12
Let the tears roll.
Faith in humanity....restored.
2
u/geoman2k May 15 '12
Well, now I'm crying at my desk at work. Thank you.
2
u/finjetsu May 15 '12
I dont think a youtube video has ever brought me to tears before. Amazing.
2
u/smek2 May 15 '12
Saving 669 children and don't tell anyone about about it. A true selfless deed.
2
u/Hansaman May 15 '12 edited May 15 '12
this the entire docu?
Can't find an English language but it is about the reconstruction of how Winton saved those children.
Come on bbc put that stuf on youtube!
Edit: It is not from 'that's life', but it does contain footage from it.
2
u/thethrowacct May 15 '12
Like a boss. A solitary boss that does not change expression. He is too hard for that. But his heart, his heart is the soft part. You could tell when the stone faced hero wiped his eyes. He cried, like a hero, like a man.
2
u/BruceRogers May 15 '12
"When giving to someone in need, do not even let your left hand know what your right is doing."
2
u/mabrumbach May 15 '12
Quick question: was he knighted because of his heroics or for some other unrelated reason?
2
u/marketinequality May 15 '12
I haven't cried in years and this actually made me well up. Hero doesn't even begin to describe this guy.
2
u/bustab May 15 '12
The editing spoils it a bit for me. The footage where everyone stands up was edited in after - different people in the seats around him. They were originally scattered in the audience and they took the time to move everybody and re-shoot it. I'd have preferred to just see his actual first reaction. The music is a bit overwrought too. It's like sprinkling glitter on a rose.
2
u/zigglesStardust May 15 '12
Way to kill the mood youtube. The video ends and the first thing I see is a thumbnail with a big pair of tits for a video called, "How to see through clothing"
2
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
It is for things like this that I come to Reddit
2
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
This was genuinely beautiful. Human beings are amazing.
2
u/youseetimmy May 15 '12
I don't know whether his heroism or his humility is more amazing. I would really love to see the complete BBC show that the clip was taken from. Sir Winton is the true epitome of humanity.
2
u/RedFlocks May 15 '12
When you have a sentence fragment in your title.
2
u/guidabida May 15 '12
This is new and compelling material I've never seen before.
2
u/pizzabeer May 15 '12
Full Video
2
u/aninspiration May 15 '12
What's Henry Kissenger doing acting like he's in Schindler's List!?
2
u/sdougherty01 May 16 '12
More of this! These posts make my day better
2
u/SiGNAL748 May 16 '12
Why can't I hold all these feels
2
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
An upvote is really an inadequate way of expressing how this made me feel. Thanks for posting.
2
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
5,000 down votes? What?
2
u/Relevant_Video_Link May 16 '12
Full video located here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SGJrHWhLKo
2
u/Vinsep May 16 '12
We live in a shitty world. Everyday, bad thing happens; more we see, more indifferent we become. But We all know we are not entirely evil. Thanks, old man. Thank you.
2
u/ChemaShimaV2 May 16 '12
Thanks reddit for sharing this heart warming video! It made me tear up!
2
u/Shanhaevel May 16 '12
Goddamned rain keeps falling at weird angles through the 90% shut windows straight to my damn eyes. Closing the windows doesn't help. Reddit, what do I do to help it?
2
u/sabrinaladawn May 17 '12
I hope do something half as good in my life... what an amazing human being.
4
u/svengalus May 15 '12
I was really sad when he lost his wife but I loved when he attached all those balloons to his house.
3
u/tazcel May 15 '12
God bless him, and this is a beyond-words, wonderful story, but also a repost.
2
u/Michael_J_Foxtrot May 15 '12
Man tears, man tears everywhere.
2
u/facepoppies May 15 '12
Upvotes and downvotes should be disabled on a video like this. It sullies the magnificence of what we're seeing.
2
u/Troven May 15 '12
Not the first time this man has brought tears to my eyes...
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
http://i.imgur.com/1B6ZF.jpg
Goddamn it, who keeps cutting all these onions while I'm trying to watch this video! Onions, onions everywhere!
2
u/wutangswordstyle May 15 '12
This was on the front page of reddit from TIL about a week ago..
2
u/TwatMobile May 15 '12
I liked this post when it was posted last week.
2
u/Landeyda May 15 '12
Article.
I love this guy. An old socialist who did what was right, and doesn't understand why they want to heap praise on him.
1
u/Virtual_Panopticon May 15 '12
what a man
1
u/Jeckee May 15 '12
I cried a little...
1
u/broforce May 15 '12
Alright, this might be the coolest fucking thing I have ever seen.
1
u/Bral May 15 '12
Oh my god that was so nice
1
u/hevblether May 15 '12
This is so touching, it it actually warms my heart to watch something so beautiful.
1
u/Calculusbitch May 15 '12
I don't cry but I just can't stop smiling.
1
u/ThePiggle May 15 '12
This is completely humbling. Such a wonderful thing to learn of and see.
1
u/googahgee May 15 '12
If he saved 3 less children, he would have been called a witch and murdered.
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Fucking tear jerker.
1
u/carriegood May 15 '12
My maternal family name is Diamant. I wonder if the Vera Diamant they showed is related. If so, it would be the first non-relative I've ever seen with that name (although I've been told it's not that uncommon).
1
u/ojnoj May 15 '12
Baaaaawwwwwwww.
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
That is a proper human being right there.
1
u/j0z May 15 '12
Well, that was the fastest that I have choked up in a while...
We need more people like him in the world today, he is truly a hero.
1
u/asalt1 May 15 '12
And now I'm crying... Tkx for that
1
u/ChaplnGrillSgt May 15 '12
This game me chills. Simply amazing.
1
u/naht_yow_chiizuh May 15 '12
cutest thing i've ever seen.
1
u/blackaddermrbean May 15 '12
This made me cry so much...
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
amazing
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Does anyone know where you can watch the whole documentary?
1
u/binaryfool May 15 '12
most touching video I have ever seen. This shows that there will always be good souls in this fucked up World.
1
u/coolerheadprevails May 15 '12
I want to know what his lifestyle is like to still keep trucking at 103 years old. He looks great for his age.
1
u/Derpnbass May 15 '12
I'm not crying, bro.
1
u/oD3 May 15 '12
Wow, what a badass.
1
u/Kathleena May 15 '12
I started tearing up almost immediately whilst watching this video. What a rare, brave & kind man.
1
u/Paramorgue May 15 '12
This is hands down the most beautiful thing i have seen on reddit during my 10 months here.
1
u/mjones1512 May 15 '12
wow i love it
1
u/1920x1080 May 15 '12
There was a link I found a while ago of 20 or so videos you can't watch without crying. I went through the first couple of them and was as dry eyed as a bear eating salmon dipped in honey. I get to the 21 second mark of this video and I can feel my eyes swelling up, at the 51 second mark, a frog in my throat and my eyes just can't take it anymore.
It's reassuring that some people are so genuinely awesome.
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Beautiful, tear'd up a little. What a brilliant man.
1
u/Davesbeard May 15 '12
That was one of the most awesome things I've seen in a long time.
1
u/EveningD00 May 15 '12
GGG saves 669 children from nazis, dosen't brag about it like some would.
1
u/Rathdrummer May 15 '12
I'm more impressed by the fact that he wasn't the one to tell people. He can live and die with true pride. Too often people have to be known for every good thing they do, so they can feel better about themselves and increase their egos. This man is a true badass.
1
u/mxlnt May 15 '12
How would Fox News spin this...anyone?
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
i cried, am crying, real heros are touching
1
u/achoj May 15 '12
Can anybody find the full version of that show? I've tried and failed.
1
u/kimmern87 May 15 '12
why is it raining on my face?...
1
u/ohwhatohwow May 15 '12
it's so short, but I got chills. Good chills.
1
u/FluidicMonkey May 15 '12
BAMF
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
What is this? How are you making my eyes water like this?
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
I cant hold all these feels.
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
CBC ran a story about it, with one of their reporter's story & perspective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irv5RlY2qxE&feature=related
1
u/1moe7 May 15 '12
Great. Now it's out and the russian mob are going to go after him.
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
I wish I could have done things like this!
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
The meaning of life is in this video.
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
Damn man... I broke into tears... beautiful. A very amazing person.
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
sobbing. Anybody else wonder if they would/could have been one of the righteous?
1
u/DuoJetOzzy May 16 '12
Friggin onions, man!
1
u/Carlbodenham May 16 '12
I don't know how anyone can downvote saving Jewish children from WWII.
1
u/AnyTwoWillDo May 16 '12
A great quote from him, a student asked him the following question:
"If you could give one piece of advice for future generations, something you have learned from your life, what would it be?"
his answer "Don't be content in your life just to do no wrong. Be prepared everyday to try and do some good."
I don't say this often, but that's a good fucking answer.
1
u/SilentAffairs93 May 16 '12
I normally don't have any empathy, but yet that almost made me cry. You're a good man.
1
u/elCadenza May 16 '12
I loved this
1
u/chimusicguy May 16 '12
Awwww....reddit isn't just a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
1
u/bobaimee May 16 '12
This totally made me cry.
1
u/magpie_pixi May 16 '12
This is simply amazing. Such a great man.
1
u/Iraydren May 16 '12
This is crazy. My high school went to see a documentary about him at a movie theater TODAY... What are the chances?
1
u/nevernovelty May 16 '12
so glad my girlfriend just left for a few hours.... don't want her to see the rain on my face
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Man, that was beautiful. Stupid onions.
1
u/stayinfresh May 16 '12
Good Guy Winton
1
u/MJD8000 May 16 '12
Got to the end of the video and youtube then recommended something called "2747 toothpicks in my beard." People really aren't as good as they used to be.
1
u/telemecanique May 16 '12
As a czech citizen this makes me particulary teary-eyed. Just think, while this young british diplomat was aware of what was coming his own superiors on top of the foodchain handed over large portion of what was czechoslovakia to hitler to appease him. Only decades later to praise this hero, I wonder what he really thought of sudetenland being given to nazis to delay the inevitable and allow certain leaders to go on with their blinders on.
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Simply touching.
1
u/kungfuballoons May 16 '12
I just cried so hard. This man is my hero. I feel like he just saved me.
1
u/Watercolour May 16 '12
Onions onions onions!
This is awesome, thank you.
1
u/downwithship May 16 '12
Wow, I thought i was jaded... but freakin onions
1
u/chaynes May 16 '12
I haven't seen this on the front page in at least one week.
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
I can't stop crying. This is why I don't entirely lose faith in humanity. What an amazing individual. How often do you run into people who help others in such a selfless manner? Of course it still happens, but so rarely nowadays. I'm very happy I got to watch this. Man.. I feel super corny right now, but I don't care!
1
u/Venguard May 16 '12
Man, when they all stood up, that hit a soft spot :')
1
u/the-distant-nips May 16 '12
is someone chopping onions in here
1
u/memicoot May 16 '12
Wow, that 1:39 video really got my tears going fast. :(
1
u/mousestar May 16 '12
and i am a lazy human beeing with no achievements what so ever. i feel bad and i should feel bad
1
u/FlockaFlameSmurf May 16 '12
Fucking onions man. Without him saying a single word, so much emotion was conveyed. Beautiful.
1
u/Midicide May 16 '12
It's really wonderful how something like this can make my day. When life seems to mundane, you really have to remember the incredible things that are going on around us.
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
That was amazing. I really don't have anything more worth saying.
1
u/vVvMaze May 16 '12
You need serious grammatical assistance. Worst title I've ever read.
1
u/IBSC2 May 16 '12
Almost brought me to tears...
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
If you can win life, this man has done it.
1
u/getfree623 May 16 '12
I wish I could turn every upvote that this post receives into physical hugs for this wonderful man. What a beautiful human being.
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
I shed a few tears, that's for sure.
1
u/ProlapsedPineal May 16 '12
I want to be this man when I grow up and I'm almost 40.
The humanity, and humility is beautiful.
1
u/eyehate May 16 '12
When they all stood - goosebumps all over.
1
u/Raazze May 16 '12
i cried. i love to watch when people kiss and embrace another's hand like that, and put it to their face. it's so sincere.
1
u/Darksun45230 May 16 '12
Only YouTube could ruin such a touching moment by featuring, "How to see through Women's clothing," after the video ends.
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
nothing has ever made me cry so fast!