See “The Rosskamm Family”
See “Martin Rosskamm”
Stephan Rosskamm was born on 28 February 1922 in the village of Schwarza near Meiningen in Thuringia. He was the youngest child of Abraham Adolf Rosskamm and Nandl Reinthaler. Records in the Jewish Relief Archives are providing valuable pieces of information that allow us to outline critical stages in his life from 1938 to 1947.
In September 1938, Stephan was registered in the American Consulate in Berlin for immigration into the United States (see entry in his registration record with the Jewish Refugees Committee below). Stephan’s brothers Georg and Martin were already in the United States, and Martin signed the affidavit guaranteeing Stephan’s eligibility for immigration.
Also in 1938, but when exactly is unknown, Stephan left Schwarza with his parents and moved to Cologne.
After the violence of the Reichspogromnacht/Kirstallnacht of 9/10 November 1938, the British government permitted organizations to implement programs to bring German Jewish refugees to Britain. Strict conditions were placed upon the entry of the children. Jewish and non-Jewish organisations funded the operation and had to ensure that none of the refugees would become a financial burden on the public. Every child had a guarantee of ÂŁ50 to finance their eventual re-emigration. It was assumed at the time that the danger was temporary, and the children would return to their families when it was safe. Adult family members could not accompany the children.
The Movement for the Care of Children from Germany, later known as the Jewish Refugees Childrenâs Movement (RCM), took charge of bringing children to Britain. It sent representatives to Germany and Austria to organise transporting the children. On 25 November 1938, after discussion in the House of Commons, British citizens received an appeal for foster homes on the BBC Home Service. Soon there were 500 offers, and RCM volunteers started visiting these possible foster homes and reporting on conditions. They did not insist that prospective homes for Jewish children should be Jewish homes.
The first of a series of transports, which came to be known collectively as the Kindertransport, left Hamburg on 01 December 1938. On the 06 January 1939, Stephan Rosskamm entered Britain. Documents published by Jewish World Relief allow us to piece together many of the details of Stephan’s journey between his arrival in England in January 1939 and his departure in 1947.
Stefan Rosskamm entered Britain under the auspices of the Jewish Refugees Committee.
Admission into Britain required that the refugees, including the children not be a draw on the public purse. Stephan’s relatives in the States supported Stephan by sending money to a Mrs. Levy. He received training as a silversmith. 
