Glasgow Grandpa turned 100 after escaping the Nazis

Henry Wuga is celebrating his milestone birthday today after he was brought to the city in 1939, fleeing Hitler’s Germany.

He was born in Nuremberg in 1924 and was raised Jewish, which left him in a vulnerable position as WW2 broke out.

He was able to escape the country thanks to the Kindertransport (Children's Transport) which was a unique humanitarian rescue programme which ran between November 1938 and September 1939.

Henry was only a boy when his life was changed forever (Image: Newsquest)

Approximately 10,000 children, the majority of whom were Jewish, were sent from their homes and families in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the free state of Danzig to Britain.

While in Scotland he was evaluated to Perth during the war, but in 1940 was arrested and taken into custody for “corresponding with the enemy”.

Henry had sent innocent letters to his parents with the help of his uncles in Paris and Brussels.

Henry with his parents Karl Wuga and Lore Wuga in 1932 outside their family home in Nurnberg (Image: Newsquest)

As this was a serious offence in wartime, Henry was declared “A Dangerous Enemy Alien” at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Henry had never been a spy as had been suspected and was underage to be interned.

Despite this he was forced to spend 10 months in a series of Internment Camps ending up in the Isle of Man.

After being released he attended a Refugee Club in Glasgow, where he met like-minded people from similar backgrounds, including his future wife Ingrid Wolff.

Henry and his beloved wife Ingrid (Image: Newsquest)

Henry and Ingrid married in December 1944 but sadly his father died that same year, leaving his mother without the protection of a non-Jewish spouse.

In January 1945, she went into hiding in the countryside near Nuremberg, where she experienced the end of the war.

Meanwhile Henry built a life in Glasgow and focused on his career in the hospitality industry working hard as a chef in the city.

Henry and Ingrid pictured at home in Glasgow (Image: Newsquest)

He became a dad in 1957 after his daughter Gillian was born and three years later started a very successful Kosher Function Catering business which continued till 1989.

In 1999 Henry was proudly honoured by Her Majesty The Queen at an Investiture at the Palace of Holyrood House Edinburgh.

Henry became a chef in Glasgow (Image: Newsquest)

He was presented with the award of an MBE for Services to Sport for Disabled People, recognising his long association as Ski Bob instructor for the British Limless Ex Service Men’s Association.

It comes as Henry loved skiing in the Alps with his family and wanted to help others by sharing the skill.

Now Henry has four grandsons and three great grandsons and is dedicated to telling his incredible life story to show how far he has come.

Family picture of Henry and Ingrid with their daughters Gillian Field and Hilary Hodsman in December 2018 (Image: Newsquest)

Michael Newman, CEO The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR): “On behalf of us all at The AJR we wish Henry Wuga a hearty mazel tov and huge congratulations on the occasion of his 100th Birthday.

“Henry is a much-loved member who came to the UK via the Kindertransport and went on to have an eminent career in catering.

“The Association of Jewish Refugees is organising a special one-off concert to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Kindertransport at Wigmore Hall on May 12.

“It promises to be a captivating musical event, honouring some of the youngest victims of Nazi terror - who like Henry, came to the UK to build new lives and communities and had a profound impact on British society and culture.

“To book visit wigmore-hall.org.uk”