On September 3, 2024, a long-awaited link between the districts of Letná and Holešovice was officially opened in Prague. The new street, which connects Veletržní Street with Dělnická Street, is named after Sir Nicholas Winton, a British citizen who saved hundreds of Czechoslovak children, mostly Jewish, from persecution by the Nazis during World War II.
The street’s symbolic location runs past Prague’s Bubny railway station, from where tens of thousands of Jewish families were deported to Theresienstadt during the war. Naming the street honors Winton’s heroic actions, which saved many children by transporting them to Great Britain on the so-called ‘Winton trains.’
The date of the opening was deliberately chosen to commemorate the start of World War II. The last Winton train left Prague on September 1, 1939, but never reached the United Kingdom.
The ceremony was attended by numerous guests, including survivors of the Winton children and their descendants. Particularly moving was the presence of four of the rescued children whom Winton had brought to safety during the war.
At the beginning of the year, the movie One Life (Jeden život) premiered in Czech cinemas, telling the moving story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who performed a heroic act of humanity in 1939. The film was shot at authentic locations in Prague, including Prague’s main railway station, where a bronze statue commemorates the rescue operation. Two-time Oscar winner Sir Anthony Hopkins portrays the aging Nicholas Winton, while Johnny Flynn plays him in his younger years.
In addition to its symbolic significance, the road’s practical function also takes center stage. The link will later be developed into a fully-fledged road, facilitating mobility between the city’s neighborhoods. With the opening, the city of Prague also celebrates the 140th anniversary of the Prague 7 district.
