The devastating legacy of conflict is a harsh reality for countless children worldwide – a truth that will be laid bare in a powerful new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) London. 'Childhood in War', opening on 31 July, delves into the profound disruption war brings to the fundamental aspects of childhood, from carefree play and education to family life.
At the heart of the exhibition is John Hajdu's poignant story – a man now 89 years old and his enduring companion, a teddy bear. This treasured object survived the Second World War, accompanying Hajdu through unimaginable horrors: his father's forced labour, his mother's internment in a concentration camp, and his own time hiding in a neighbour's cupboard before being forced into the Budapest ghetto. The bear, simply known as 'teddy', will be displayed for the first time in a recreated Second World War bedroom, amidst other toys and personal possessions, forcing visitors to confront the shattering impact of war on innocence.
The exhibition masterfully employs a multi-sensory approach, combining hundreds of objects with immersive environments. Visitors can experience a full-size railway carriage, recreating the journey of evacuees, and a wartime classroom. These historical reconstructions are juxtaposed with contemporary accounts from children living through conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, and Afghanistan, drawing a stark parallel across generations and geographies.
John Hajdu's personal narrative serves as a powerful anchor to the exhibition's themes. His childhood, once typical of a middle-class Jewish family in Hungary, was forever altered by antisemitic persecution. 'There was absolutely no chance of being a kid,' he recalls. 'I had no other toys or books.' This poignant account highlights the profound isolation and loss of everyday freedoms experienced by children in war zones – a sentiment echoed in the exhibition's exploration of disrupted education and the pervasive threat of unexploded ordnance.
Having survived the Budapest ghetto, liberated by Soviet troops in January 1945, and miraculously reunited with his parents, Hajdu's journey continued. A decade later, following the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian uprising, he and his mother fled to Austria and eventually arrived in Britain in 1957 on a Red Cross train, with teddy still by his side. The exhibition skillfully weaves together such historical accounts with 360-degree footage and personal stories from contemporary conflicts, underscoring the enduring and universal impact of war on the youngest members of society.