The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) and the Northern Ireland War Memorial (NIWM) invite you to a talk by Mark Scott on Thursday 5 March 2026.
In April 1939, fifteen-year-old Gertrude Kessler and her younger brother Fritz were separated from their parents and evacuated from Nazi-occupied Vienna aboard a Kindertransport train. They found sanctuary in the Northern Ireland village of Millisle, cared for at a centre called Childhaven.
After the war, Gertrude remained in Northern Ireland, trained as a nurse and later raised her family in Enniskillen. Years later, her son, journalist Charlie Warmington, asked the author to uncover the fate of the Kessler family who had remained in Vienna.
Through family records and archives in Vienna and beyond, an extraordinary account of survival and resistance during the Holocaust emerged. Central to the story is “Transport Number 4,” which carried 999 deportees from Vienna to a ghetto in occupied Poland in March 1941. Only 13 survived. Charlie’s grandmother was one of them.
This book stands as a significant and poignant work that succeeds in its mission to tell a family's story that "demanded to be told". It is a powerful example of how micro-historical research can illuminate the macro-tragedy of the Holocaust, producing a valuable contribution to the historical record. It ensures that the legacy of those who resisted, survived and tragically lost their lives is never forgotten.
About the author:
Mark Scott is a historical researcher who has previously authored three non-fiction publications: “The Man Who Shot The Great War,” “Among The Kings - The Unknown Warrior an untold story,” and “We Fought On D-Day - Ulstermen in Normandy in their own words.” In his latest work, Scott continues to employ his signature investigative approach, often uncovering previously unknown or overlooked historical facts. He is a skilled photographer, having taught the subject in his native Belfast several years ago. He utilises his photographic expertise, typically with vintage period cameras, to enhance the atmospheric quality of his published works.
The lecture will take place on Thursday 5 March 2026 at PRONI (2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9HQ) starting at 2pm.
*Register for a FREE ticket via Eventbrite: Transport Number 4 - Vienna 1941*
