The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) will bring the powerful and often overlooked history of Jewish refugees in Cardiff to life with a special city centre walking tour as part of Jewish Culture Month.
The two-hour Cardiff Jewish Refugee Heritage Walking Tour, led by historian Martin Winstone, will explore sites connected with the experiences of Jewish refugees who fled Nazism and found sanctuary in Wales. Through compelling stories and surprising historical connections, the tour will highlight the lasting impact these refugees had on Cardiff’s cultural and economic life.
The event is organised by AJR, home to the UK’s largest community of Holocaust refugees and their descendants.
Holocaust child survivor Eva Clarke will also join the group for the tour. Born in Mauthausen concentration camp shortly after its liberation in 1945, Clarke’s presence offers a rare opportunity for participants to meet a survivor whose life story embodies resilience and remembrance.
Along the route, participants will discover lesser-known and sometimes surprising aspects of this period of history, including the role of Cardiff and South Wales in the history of British antisemitism, an unexpected connection between the 1958 Commonwealth Games and the Holocaust, and the story of the only Welsh-born victim of the Holocaust.
The tour concludes at Wally’s Kaffeehaus, the much-loved Cardiff café opened in 1947 by Austrian Jewish refugee Ignatz Salamon. Today run by his grandson Steven, the café remains a living legacy of refugee entrepreneurship and resilience. Participants will hear the story behind the business while enjoying traditional kaffee and kuchen.
Debra Barnes, Head of Next Generations at AJR, said:
“We are proud to highlight the remarkable stories of Jewish refugees who found safety in Britain and went on to shape communities like Cardiff. Events like this tour help bring those histories into the public sphere, connecting people with the places and stories that form part of both Jewish and British history.”
The tour forms part of Jewish Culture Month, taking place across the UK from Saturday 16 May to Tuesday 16 June. The nationwide programme celebrates the richness and diversity of Jewish life and heritage, highlighting British Jewish contributions to music, literature, food, history, fashion, architecture and comedy. Events are designed to be welcoming and accessible to people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Jewish Culture Month is produced by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the national representative body of the UK Jewish community.
Tickets for the Cardiff tour cost £15 per person, including kaffee and kuchen. To register email nextgens@ajr.org.uk
