Inside Henry Winkler's Parents' Escape From Nazi Germany and How It Led to 'Happy Days' Star's Name
Henry Winkler's parents escaped Nazi Germany in 1939.
Oct. 29 2026, Updated 5:29 p.m. ET
Henry Winkler's parents, Harry and Anna Marie, left Nazi Germany for New York six years before he was born.
One day before the Happy Days star turns 81, RadarOnline.com revisits his parents' escape and how that played a role in choosing the actor's iconic name.
Henry Winkler's Mother Did Not Realize They Were Moving
Henry Winkler suggested his mother may have hesitated to leave Germany.
In 1939, shortly before the start of World War II, Henry's father realized that Germany was becoming dangerous for the Jewish community and hatched a plan to leave the country.
Instead of informing his wife of his true intentions, he simply told her that they would be going to New York for a six-week business trip related to his lumber company – not that they would be leaving Germany for good.
"I think she would have been hesitant to leave (had she known)," Henry said in a past interview.
Henry Winkler's Father Smuggled Jewelry Out of Germany
Henry Winkler owns a watch smuggled out of Germany by his father.
That didn't mean that leaving the country – especially with valuable items, such as jewelry – was entirely simple.
Harry came up with a clever idea for how to smuggle expensive pieces out of Germany, knowing that Nazis would stop him and ask him if he had anything of value.
"He took his mother’s jewelry, bought a box of chocolate, melted the chocolate down, put the pieces of jewelry in the chocolate box, melted — poured the chocolate over the jewelry, put the box under his arm," the actor revealed. "So when he was stopped by the Nazis, and they said, 'Are you taking anything of value out of Germany?' he said, 'No, you can open every bag; we’ve got nothing.'"
Once Henry's mother and father arrived in Ellis Island, they sold the jewelry. With that money, they were able to start a new life together.
However, later, he said he was able to "buy the jewelry back, and my parents gave me my great-grandfather’s pocket watch that came out of Germany encased in chocolate."
How Henry Winkler Got His Name
Henry Winkler's name was partially inspired by his Uncle Helmut.
Henry was born six years after his parents arrived in New York, and a family member who didn't make it out of Germany helped inspire his name.
His Uncle Helmet had planned to leave the country with Harry and Anna, but he made a last-minute decision to wait one more day.
"He waited one day too long," Henry shared. "He was going to go, but the tailor was making a (white) dinner jacket (for him) and he thought he could wait one more day and then take it with him."
He was taken by Nazis and eventually sent to Auschwitz, where he later died.
As for Henry's middle name, it's Franklin, after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. His parents credited the POTUS with their visas repeatedly being extended so they could stay in the United States.
"I have the actual letters from the government each time my father requested to stay a little longer, and they would say yes," Henry recalled.
Henry Winkler's Father Didn't Want Him to Be an Actor
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Henry Winkler knew from a young age he wanted to be an actor.
Henry grew up knowing he wanted to be involved in entertainment, but his parents weren't exactly pleased with his dreams of stardom.
The Click actor said his dad actually wanted him to "go into the family business, buying and selling wood," but that wasn't the life for him.
"The only wood I was interested in was Hollywood," he quipped.
