(Photo: Church of Scotland)
A new mural commemorating a Scottish missionary who sacrificed her life to protect Jewish children during World War II has been revealed in Paisley, Renfrewshire. Jane Haining, born in 1897 in Dumfriesshire, worked as the matron at the Scottish Mission School in Budapest, Hungary, a school managed by the Church of Scotland’s Mission to the Jews.
In 1939, as war loomed, Haining was advised by the Church of Scotland to return home. However, she chose to remain in Budapest to care for her students, many of whom were Jewish, stating, “If these children need me in days of sunshine, how much more do they need me in days of darkness?”
Despite Hungary’s alliance with Nazi Germany, the country was occupied by Germany in 1944 over fears of a separate peace with the Allies. Tragically, Haining was reported to the Nazis following a disagreement with a local resident. She was subsequently sent to Auschwitz, where she died at 47.
The mural, measuring 9ft by 65ft, will be positioned in Paisley, where Haining once worked as a secretary at J&P Coats’ Ferguslie Mill. Commissioned by the Renfrewshire branch of Unison, the mural is the creation of local artists Alexander Guy and Caroline Gormley.
Alexander Guy shared his initial skepticism, saying, “I did not know the story of Jane Haining before we were asked to do this and I found it fascinating to research the information about her life. Initially I thought to myself ‘why this woman because millions of people died during the Holocaust’ but the more I read about her, the more I realised how remarkable she was.”
He added, “Jane Haining was a true heroine and her story needs recognition, whether it’s in Budapest, Paisley or Dunscore and I’m very honoured and privileged to produce a mural that hopefully does her and all her relatives proud.”
The artists worked closely with Haining’s relatives and Mark Ferguson from the public services trade union to ensure the mural’s authenticity and impact.
Mark Ferguson expressed his satisfaction with the piece, stating, “The mural has exceeded my expectations, we wanted it to tell the story of Jane Haining in the various locations she was in. But one of the things the family and I were very keen on was that centre photograph of Jane with the children, because that’s who she was.”
He continued, “I’m absolutely delighted with the image and with the very powerful presence that it will have in Shuttle Street in Paisley, it will generate a lot of interest.”
The mural was unveiled at Coats Memorial Church on Holocaust Memorial Day, attended by the Rt Rev Rosie Flew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Reverend Flew lauded the artwork as “striking” and commended Haining for her “service over self-interest.”
Reflecting on Haining’s legacy, Reverend Flew remarked, “She was simultaneously an ordinary and extraordinary woman and her story is one of courage, heroism, decency and personal sacrifice, reminding us that when we feel powerless, there is always something that we can do.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
