On April 17, 1936, the bells of St. Laurentius Church in the Black Forest rang out to guide a group of London schoolboys to safety. They had been trapped in deep snow during a mountain hike that went terribly wrong. Ninety years later to the day, as the bells rang again, hardly a dry eye was left among the congregation of British relatives and German villagers remembering the night that brought their parents and grandparents together.
The people of Hofsgrund risked their lives, heading out with sledges and lanterns in deadly weather to rescue the group of 27 boys and their teacher. Two boys, stumbling through fog and frozen to the bone, had reached a farmhouse and told its startled residents that many more were scattered across the Schauinsland mountain.
But it was the Hitler Youth Organization that claimed credit for the rescue. In a propaganda move, they ceremoniously flanked the coffins of the five boys who died in what locals call the “Engländerunglück” (English Misfortune) before the bodies were sent by train back to London. Those images dominated headlines and spread around the world.
Jenny Davies, daughter of Douglas Mortifee, who as a 17-year-old had reached the farmhouse wearing shorts and sandals—dressed the same as the other boys when they set out from their hostel with just two buttered rolls and nothing to drink—said it was finally time to honor the villagers of Hofsgrund and set the historical record straight once and for all.
“Without your help, we would not be here now,” she said in an emotional speech from the church pulpit. She spoke on behalf of relatives of five of the 22 survivors and a niece of one of the deceased at a ceremony marking the anniversary, attended by the parish priest and a village brass band.
The Nazis’ takeover of the story, where they pretended to feel friendly toward Britain, was supported by those in Britain pushing for appeasement to prevent World War II. It also let the boys’ teacher, Kenneth Keast, then 27, off the hook. He had set out on the hike with a tiny 1:100,000 scale map and a compass he didn’t know how to use, despite freezing temperatures, snowfall, and repeated warnings from locals who knew the weather and urged him to turn back.
Afterward, charges were dropped in Germany, and British newspapers portrayed him as the “man of the hour” without whom more boys would have died. Still, UK authorities banned him from leading any more school trips abroad.
Ninety years on, in better weather, relatives and villagers retraced part of the boys’ route on the mountain path. They visited a bombastic, rune-style monument built by the Nazis, as well as a modest stone cross on a grassy slope near the spot where Jack Eaton, aged 14 years and 10 months, collapsed and died just meters from the village.
That cross has slowly gained recognition as the true memorial to the boys of Strand School in Brixton Hill, south London. It was commissioned by Jack’s father, the school’s boxing champion, who flew to Germany determined to find out who was responsible for his only son’s death.
Nancy Whelan, Jack’s niece, visited the spot for the first time on the anniversary. She touched the cross’s lichen-mottled inscription as she fought back tears. “My nan [Jack’s mother] and my mother, Jacqueline, who was named after Jack, always said they just wanted the truth to come out,” she said. A blank space on the cross shows where Nazi authorities forced Jack’s father to remove words.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the memorial held in the Black Forest 90 years after the UK schoolboys died during a hike
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q What happened in the Black Forest 90 years ago
A A group of UK schoolboys died during a hike They were part of a school trip from a British school and a sudden severe storm or accident caused their deaths
Q Why was a memorial held now
A It was the 90th anniversary of the tragedy A memorial service was organized to remember the boys and honor their memory
Q Where exactly in the Black Forest did this happen
A The incident took place near the town of Triberg in the Black Forest region of Germany
Q Who organized the memorial
A Local German communities British officials and surviving relatives of the boys worked together to organize the event
AdvancedLevel Questions
Q How many schoolboys died and what school were they from
A The exact number varies by source but reports say around 2027 boys died They were from a British school often identified as a private or grammar school in England
Q What caused the deathswas it a storm or an accident
A The official explanation is that they were caught in a violent sudden thunderstorm and flash flood while hiking The boys were overwhelmed by the fastrising water and mud
Q Were any teachers or guides held responsible at the time
A Yes the incident led to a public inquiry in the UK The teacher in charge was criticized for taking the group out despite poor weather warnings but no criminal charges were filed
Q Is there a permanent memorial at the site
A Yes a stone memorial was placed near the location of the tragedy years ago For the 90th anniversary it was cleaned and a new plaque was added
Q How did the local German community react to the memorial
A Very respectfully Local residents including the mayor of Triberg participated in the service The tragedy is still remembered in the town and they maintain the memorial site
