The years between 1939 and 1945 marked a historical time known as the Holocaust. This genocide led to the unnecessary death of approximately six million people throughout Europe. A large percentage of the victims were children of all ages. Born to fend off hatred and discrimination, these children were forced to mature at an extremely early age. In the beginning children were isolated in their schools, only to later be banned from attending the schools in general. Soon they were not allowed to associate with their friends, alienated by their religion. After some time they were no longer even allowed to walk on the streets of their home country. Many families were separated as children were sent away to strange countries, to live a lie in order to survive. In addition to the physical separation, children were exposed to the harshness of human nature and the cruelty people are capable of. The experiences of the children of the Holocaust exemplify the misfortune of the time.
             During the years of the Holocaust, children were often separated from their parents in order to be sent to safety. A rescue operation called the kinder transport shipped thousands of children to safety over the years of misfortune. Young children and infants were sent away on boats, alone and scared, to be sent to an unfamiliar country to live with a family of strangers. In the story of Karen clement, Karen is isolated and sent to Sweden, never to see her family again. This separation proved to be traumatic for both the parents and the children. "There was a terrible void and a terrible loneliness for love and warmth", Lorraine Allard later recalled. The effects of the loneliness would follow the children of the kinder transport throughout their lives. Eva Hayman, a kinder transport survivor, explains, "It's strange that its only six years out of a long life, and those six years will affect the rest of your life".
             ...